Driving AI chatbot adoption: A systematic review of factors, barriers, and future research directions
Norah Alharbi, Fareed Ud Din, David Paúl, Edmund Sadgrove
Abstract
Adopting AI chatbots has gained significant momentum across various industries due to advancements in artificial intelligence. Despite their potential, AI chatbot adoption remains a complex process affected by numerous factors that are not fully understood. This systematic review seeks to identify and categorize the factors influencing AI chatbot adoption, including drivers and impediments. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive review process was conducted. From 459 publications collected via Web of Science and Scopus, 84 research articles meeting eligibility criteria were analyzed to provide insights into the determinants of adoption. This review systematically examines the theoretical models employed, geographic distribution, primary domains of study, methodologies, and key factors shaping adoption. Furthermore, the study outlines future research directions to guide advancements in this area. The findings contribute to theoretical understanding by synthesizing determinants like anthropomorphism, trust, and hedonic motivation and advocating for integrating underexplored frameworks and hybrid methodologies. Practical implications are provided for developers, marketers, and policymakers, emphasizing user-centric design, privacy protection, and sector-specific strategies. This review advances knowledge in AI chatbot adoption and offers actionable insights for successful implementation across diverse industries.