When digital spaces matter: The influence of uniqueness and place attachment on self-identity expression with brands using generative AI on the metaverse

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence technologies are transforming brand-customer interactions by offering highly personalized and dynamic virtual experiences. This underscores the importance of studying their significant impact on customer experiences in the Metaverse. Accordingly, the study aims to explore how users' attachment to the Metaverse relates to the underlying psychological drivers of customer engagement with brands using generative AI in the digital realm. A mixed-method approach was adopted, beginning with an exploratory study that involved in-depth interviews with 24 participants to gain an initial understanding of consumers' psychological and behavioral reactions to brands in the Metaverse. An empirical study was then conducted, surveying 407 UK-based users of virtual worlds who interacted with brands using generative AI on these platforms. The goal was to understand how the need for uniqueness influences self-identity expression and to examine how these factors are affected by attachment to virtual places. The research highlights the nuanced relationship between the pursuit of uniqueness and the integration of brand narratives into one's identity particularly when supported by highly personalized, adaptive AI technologies.