Artificial Intelligence in customer interactions: factors influencing value creation and sustained use in a variety of contexts (e.g., healthcare and financial services)

As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used by more and more organisations - profit seeking and otherwise – to automate processes in more and more business areas, and with increasing autonomy.

For instance, AI is being deployed in the context of mental health to monitor patient well-being; in the context of financial services to monitor market performance and make investments; in the context of customer service to handle customer queries and make recommendations, or in the context of personal transportation to self-drive cars. For AI applications to be successful, however, it is necessary that customers are willing to interact with the technology, perceive that it addresses their needs, and continue to use the technology beyond initial adoption and experimentation. This doctoral project seeks to investigate how, why and to what extent AI can deliver a positive customer experience, and lead to sustained creation of value for customers, in a variety of contexts (e.g., healthcare and financial services).

The project will require the candidate to look beyond the technical dimensions of AI to also consider social and individual issues. As such, it will be necessary to consult and to integrate, as relevant, various streams of literature such as information systems, marketing and psychology. The empirical setting for the project is flexible, and may include commercial, governmental or not-for-profit applications. The research design will require the use of mixed methods, including in-depth interviews, observations, and experiments or surveys.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.