Study links discrimination to AI preference

A study reveals that consumers who have experienced discrimination are more likely to turn to AI-based recommendations rather than human advice to avoid judgment or uncomfortable conversations. The research highlights that the fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed can lead people to use AI. However, if AI systems are themselves biased, they risk exacerbating the very discrimination that consumers were trying to escape.

Real-world test of discrimination

The study, conducted under real-world conditions, involved participants who were assessed for loan applications on a university campus. One version of the questionnaire included an additional question asking participants to self-assess their skin color, which was designed to evoke discriminatory feelings. All applicants were subsequently rejected; those who had been asked the question about skin color reported feeling that they had been discriminated against.

Preference for AI after discrimination

During a follow-up data collection, participants were offered the choice between a human assessor and an AI assessor. A significantly higher proportion of those who felt they had been discriminated against in the first phase chose to be assessed by the AI system, perceived to be "devoid of emotions and biases."

Psychological mechanism behind AI preference

Consumers who have experienced discrimination appear significantly more likely to rely on AI-based recommendations than on human advice. This shift can be explained by a specific psychological mechanism: embarrassment. This social emotion arises when individuals feel they are being judged negatively by others. Participants exposed to discriminatory situations reported higher levels of embarrassment, and this emotion directly influenced their subsequent choices. The more embarrassed they felt, the more they sought to limit human interactions.

Perception of AI as neutral

Compared to human beings, algorithmic systems are perceived as more neutral, more objective, and less prone to bias or prejudice. However, the reality is more complex. Algorithms can be biased, depending on the data and training they receive. Yet many people continue to regard them as neutral and objective. In this context, it is these perceptions that matter most. Opting for AI allows consumers to reduce the risk of feeling that they are once again being judged or treated unfairly. This effect depends on the context in which decisions are made. The preference for AI systems vs. human ones is particularly pronounced in public situations, when choices are visible to others. By contrast, when decisions are made in private, this effect weakens considerably.

AI as a tool for psychological comfort

These findings suggest that the use of automated systems is driven not only by considerations of efficiency or performance but also by psychological needs shaped by past social experiences. For businesses, the implications are significant. In sectors where interactions may be perceived as sensitive—such as banking, healthcare, or customer service in general—offering AI-based alternatives can help some consumers feel more at ease. For these individuals, AI is not merely a technological tool; it becomes a means of escaping social judgment and regaining control following negative experiences.

Risks of biased AI systems

However, these findings come with an important caveat: if AI systems are themselves biased—trained on biased data or designed without regard for equity—they risk reproducing, or even amplifying, the very discrimination that consumers were trying to escape. Even more seriously, this type of discrimination often goes unnoticed because it is hidden and difficult to detect. The roll-out of AI as a "safe" alternative only makes sense if that safety is real, and not merely perceived.