When sales agents aren’t human: how identity disclosure, social presence, and speciesism shape trust

Telling customers they are interacting with an AI sales agent can reduce trust and sales, even if the bot works perfectly. Our research shows this negative effect is driven by a consumer bias called "speciesism"—a preference for humans over machines. The solution is strategic: disclose the bot's identity before the conversation begins, and design it with a high "social presence" using emojis, humor, and personalization. This approach maintains transparency while preserving customer trust and purchase intentions.