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Cited by 33AI in Service InteractionsService and Product InnovationCustomer Service Quality and Loyalty

AI in Service Design: A New Framework for Hybrid Human–AI Service Encounters

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Mortati, Marzia, Viana Mundstock Freitas, Giovanna·2026·Journal of Service Research
DOI 10.1177/10946705251344387
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Abstract

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in service provision has prompted a revaluation of how we design service encounters, given the emergent role this technology plays in services. This article introduces the concept of the Hybrid Service Encounter to explore the evolving interplay between humans and AI in service contexts. We propose a 2 × 2 framework that categorizes service interactions into four distinct quadrants based on whether the provider and user are human or AI. Drawing on service design literature and current developments in AI, we analyze the implications of these hybrid encounters for service design roles, processes, and outputs. The article further identifies key areas for future research to guide the development of human-centered and ethical AI-powered services. Our contribution extends service design theory and practice by offering a framework to guide the integration of AI in service encounters.

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  • AI customers introduce novel dynamics of trust, agency attribution, and influence that may diverge from those observed in human-to-human persuasion.

    “This development also introduces novel dynamics of trust, agency attribution, and influence that may diverge from those observed in human-to-human persuasion (see also Mortati and Mundstock Freitas 2026).”

    From Machine marketing: rethinking the customer in the age of generative AI (2026) · cites this paper as Mortati and Mundstock Freitas 2026

    The Human Provider to AI User section (pp. 6, 8) describes AI customers making autonomous decisions and says interactions with them require different protocols from human interactions. This supports a change in agency and interaction dynamics, but the paper does not address agency attribution or compare trust and persuasive influence with human-to-human persuasion. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Cited by

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Authors
Mortati, M., & Viana Mundstock Freitas, G.
Affiliations
  • Politecnico di Milano (IT)
  • Design Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Corresponding author
Mortati, Marzia
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Service Research
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2025-06-18
Volume
29
Issue
1
Pages
81-96
ISSN
  • 1094-6705 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-7379
DOI
10.1177/10946705251344387
OpenAlex
W4411428333
Cited by
33
References
4
Citations by year
2026: 28 · 2025: 5
FWCI
13.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Service Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Virtual Community of Pathological Anatomy (University of Castilla La Mancha) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI in Service Interactions
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Service and Product Innovation
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
Keywords
artificial intelligence in services, service encounters, service design framework, human-AI interaction, human-centered AI, ethical AI

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