Decisions with ChatGPT: Reexamining choice overload in ChatGPT recommendations

This research examines how individuals respond differently to recommendation options generated by ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model, in five studies. In contrast to previous research on choice overload, Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that people tend to respond positively to a large number of recommendation options (60 options), revealing diverse consumer perceptions of AI-generated recommendations. Studies 3 and 4 further illustrate the moderating effect of recommendation agents and indicate that choice overload elicits distinct patterns of consumer reactions depending on whether the recommendations are from a human or AI agent. Lastly, Study 5 directly measures consumer preferences for recommendation agents, revealing a general preference for ChatGPT, particularly when a large number of options are available. These findings have significant implications for recommendation system design and user preferences regarding AI-powered recommendations.

Automated summary

This research investigates individuals' responses to recommendation options generated by ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model, through five studies. In contrast to previous research on choice overload, Studies 1 and 2 find that people tend to respond positively to a large number of recommendation options (60 options), indicating diverse consumer perceptions of AI-generated recommendations. Studies 3 and 4 demonstrate the moderating effect of recommendation agents and suggest that choice overload elicits different patterns of consumer reactions depending on whether the recommendations are from a human or AI agent. Finally, Study 5 measures consumer preferences for recommendation agents and reveals a general preference for ChatGPT, especially when a large number of options are available. These findings have important implications for recommendation system design and user preferences towards AI-powered recommendations.