AI with a Heart: How perceived authenticity and warmth shape trust in healthcare chatbots

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana

As artificial intelligence reshapes healthcare, AI-driven chatbots increasingly support patient communication, symptom assessment, and mental health care. Yet their impact relies on more than accuracy: perceived authenticity, warmth, and empathy shape patient trust and engagement. This study tests how authenticity, warmth, and empathy jointly influence patient trust and visit intention. Empirical results show authenticity increases warmth and empathy, which then enhance trust and intention. The work also examines chatbot type, finding human-like design can raise warmth perception without strengthening authenticity effects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Journal of Marketing Communications ISSN: 1352-7266 (Print) 1466-4445 (Online) Journal [homepage: ](homepage: www.tandfonline.com/journals/rjmc20)[www.tandfonline.com/journals/rjmc20](homepage: www.tandfonline.com/journals/rjmc20) AI with a Heart: How perceived authenticity and warmth shape trust in healthcare chatbots The Anh Phan & Van Dat Bui To cite this article: The Anh Phan & Van Dat Bui (21 May 2025): AI with a Heart: How perceived authenticity and warmth shape trust in healthcare chatbots, Journal of Marketing Communications, DOI: 10. 1080/13527266 .2025.2508887 To link to this article: [https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2025.2508887](https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2025.2508887) Published online: 21 May 2025. | Submit your article to this journal | | | --- | --- | | | Article views: 887 | | | View related articles | | View Crossmark data | | | Citing articles: 5 View citing articles | | Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at [https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rjmc20](https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rjmc20) AI with a Heart: How perceived authenticity and warmth shape trust in healthcare chatbots The Anh Phan and Van Dat Bui Becamex Business School, Eastern International University, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong, Vietnam ABSTRACT As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform healthcare, AIdriven chatbots are increasingly utilized for patient communication, symptom assessment, and mental health support. However, the success of these chatbots depends on more than just accuracy; their perceived authenticity, warmth, and empathy significantly shape patient trust and engagement. This study examines the interplay between perceived authenticity, perceived warmth, and perceived empathy in influencing patient trust and visit intention. Through an empirical study, we find that perceived authenticity enhances both warmth and empathy, which in turn foster trust and increase visit intention. Additionally, we investigate the moderating role of chatbot type, revealing that while human-like design can enhance warmth perception, it does not necessarily amplify the effects of authenticity. These findings highlight the critical role of emotional intelligence in AI-driven healthcare interactions and suggest that chatbots should prioritize sincerity and socially attuned communication over mere anthropomorphic features. This study contributes to the growing discourse on AI-human trust dynamics and offers actionable insights for healthcare providers, AI developers, and policymakers seeking to integrate patientcentered AI solutions into clinical practice. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 19 February 2025 Accepted 15 May 2025 KEYWORDS AI chatbots; healthcare communication; humancomputer interaction; perceived authenticity; perceived warmth Introduction Empathy is a fundamental component of high-quality patient care, shaping the physicianpatient relationship and influencing treatment adherence, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. In clinical settings, empathy enables healthcare professionals to understand and respond to patients’ emotional and psychological needs, fostering an environment of trust and support. Like the emotional appeals used in advertising to drive donations (Phan, Pham et al. 2025), empathy plays a vital role in healthcare by fostering trust and promoting positive patient behaviors. While traditional views of medicine have often emphasized technical proficiency and efficiency, contemporary research increasingly highlights that the emotional connection between healthcare providers and patients is equally crucial for effective treatment delivery (Dehning et al. 2014; Pira et al. 2025) . CONTACT The Anh Phan [anh.phanthe@eiu.edu.vn](anh.phanthe@eiu.edu.vn) Becamex Business School, Eastern International University, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Franci

FAQs

Why do healthcare chatbots need more than accuracy to be effective?

The study argues that perceived authenticity, warmth, and empathy strongly affect patient trust and engagement beyond technical correctness.

What relationship does the study find between perceived authenticity, warmth, and empathy?

Perceived authenticity enhances both perceived warmth and perceived empathy, and these in turn foster patient trust and increase visit intention.

How does chatbot type change these effects?

Human-like design can improve warmth perception, but it does not necessarily amplify the effects of authenticity.

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana