A systematic review of artificial intelligence and robots in value co-creation: Current status and future research avenues

As artificial intelligence (AI) and robots are increasingly taking place in practical service solutions, it is necessary to understand technology in value co-creation. We conducted a systematic literature review on the topic to advance theoretical analysis of AI and robots in value co-creation. By systematically reviewing 61 AI and robotics articles, which have been published in top marketing and service research journals, we identified four themes in literature, namely generic field advancement, supporting service providers, enabling resource integration between service providers and beneficiaries, and supporting beneficiaries’ well-being. With the identification of the first set of literature on AI and robots in value co-creation, we push forward an important sub-field of value co-creation literature. In addition, to advance the field, we suggest building on Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and Science and Technology Studies (STS) to understand the agency of technology in value co-creation. Considering that technology has agency opens new interesting research avenues around shopping bots and human-to-non-human frontline interaction that are likely to influence resource integration, customer engagement, and value co-creation in the future. We also encourage our colleagues to conduct postphenomenological research to be better geared for analyzing how technology (incl. AI and robots) mediates the individual experience of value.