Experiments with 1,114 people find substitute AI is a weaker pitch for green-framed goods

The recommendation source and the framing worked as a match. Substitute AI recommendations worked better for utility-framed green products, and augmented AI recommendations worked better for sustainability-framed ones.

Consumers' sense of control helped explain the pattern. Attribute-based explanations after the recommendation removed substitute AI's disadvantage under sustainability framing, which the authors say businesses could use to raise the market share of green products.

Earlier research gave mixed evidence on whether AI recommendations promote green products. This study, drawing on Self-Determination Theory, tested whether the answer depends on the AI's role and on how the green product is framed.

Participants completed a product choice task, a preference evaluation, and two studies measuring purchase intention and willingness to pay. Together these covered 1,114 people. Substitute and augmented AI recommendations were compared across utility-based and sustainability-based framings.

The effect ran through consumers' sense of control. Giving attribute-based explanations after the recommendation shifted responses toward sustainability-framed green products when substitute AI made the recommendation.