When an AI customer service bot tries to make small talk with you, it actually makes you like the company less.
April 16, 2026
Original Paper
Socially Fluent, Socially Awkward: Artificial Intelligence Relational Talk Backfires in Commercial Interactions
arXiv · 2604.12206
The Takeaway
Companies spend millions trying to make their AI assistants sound more 'human-like' and friendly. But this research shows that adding 'relational talk'—like asking about your day—actually backfires in commercial settings. Users find it awkward and feel like their expectations are being violated; they just want the bot to be a tool, not a friend. This 'uncanny valley' of social chatter makes the interaction feel fake rather than helpful. For businesses, the takeaway is simple: if your AI isn't a real person, stop trying to make it act like one.
From the abstract
Advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies' social fluency are being integrated into commercial interactions. As tools such as OpenAI's assistant are integrated into platforms such as Shopify, Klarna, and Visa, understanding consumer responses to AI social features become essential. One such feature is relational talk, an informal and non-obligatory social communication embedded in transactional exchanges. Across four experiments, we find: 1) a negative main effect of AI relationa