As e-commerce continues to grow, AI chatbots are becoming increasingly common in digital customer service. However, there is still a lack of established design guidelines for how these should be developed. At the same time, they are often assigned anthropomorphic features. This study explores how users of different gender identities across two generations, Generation Z and Generation X, with varying levels of knowledge and attitudes toward AI, experience AI chatbots with differing degrees of anthropomorphism in a digital customer service context.

The study is grounded in two central theories: CASA and the Uncanny Valley. These theories have shaped both the research design, a cross-sectional approach with comparative elements, and the method of data collection, which consisted of a survey featuring primarily closed-ended questions and a few open-ended ones. A total of 31 individuals responded to the survey.

The results generally show that both women and men in Generation Z hold a more positive attitude toward anthropomorphic AI chatbots in digital customer service compared to those in Generation X. The conclusion is that the design of AI chatbots should be adapted based on the user’s generational affiliation and gender identity, particularly in relation to social norms and gender expression. At the same time, design principles such as clarity, simplicity, and feedback emerge as key factors in achieving a positive user experience.