Navigating the new era of commerce: Exploring the relationship between anthropomorphism in voice assistants and user safety perception

Image created by Guillermo Calahorra-Candao using ChatGPT. Prompt: "create an image of a person conversing with a virtual voice assistant (just like Alexa, Siri, or Google), while simultaneously wondering if the assistant might actually be human". In an era where technology continuously reshapes our daily interactions, the rise of virtual voice assistants (VAs) like Alexa, Google Home, and Siri represents a significant leap. Originally designed to enhance smartphone usability, these VAs have transcended their initial purpose, finding their way into various consumer devices and altering the user experience landscape. However, despite their widespread integration, a notable reluctance in adopting voice shopping persists, primarily due to concerns regarding safety.