Widespread, and growing, use of artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled voice assistants (VAs) creates a pressing need to understand what drives VA evaluations. This article proposes a new framework wherein perceptions of VA artificiality and VA intelligence are positioned as key drivers of VA evaluations. Building from work on signaling theory, AI, technology adoption, and voice technology, the authors conceptualize VA features as signals related to either artificiality or intelligence, which in turn affect VA evaluations. This study represents the first application of signaling theory when examining VA evaluations; also, it is the first work to position VA artificiality and intelligence (cf. other factors) as key drivers of VA evaluations. Further, the paper examines the role of several theory-driven and/ or practice-relevant moderators, relating to the effects of artificiality and intelligence on VA evaluations. The results of these investigations can help firms suitably design their VAs and suitably design segmentation strategies.

支持人工智能 (AI) 的语音助手 (VA) 的广泛使用和不断增长的需求迫切需要了解推动 VA 评估的因素。本文提出了一个新的框架，其中对 VA 人工性和 VA 智能的感知被定位为 VA 评估的关键驱动因素。基于信号理论、人工智能、技术采用和语音技术的工作，作者将 VA 特征概念化为与人工或智能相关的信号，进而影响 VA 评估。这项研究代表了信号理论在检查 VA 评估时的首次应用；此外，这是第一项将 VA 人工智能和智能（参见其他因素）定位为 VA 评估的关键驱动因素的工作。此外，本文研究了几个理论驱动和/或与实践相关的主持人的作用，与人工和智能对 VA 评估的影响有关。这些调查的结果可以帮助公司适当地设计他们的 VA 并适当地设计细分策略。