How does the timing of an AI assistant's approach affect consumer behavior in the Metaverse? This study investigates the impact of Immediate vs. Delayed interference on user experience, decision confidence, and purchase intention.
Participants were placed in a Virtual Reality showroom and tasked with choosing a 3D printer. The complexity of the product data (specs, price, kit vs. assembled) created a realistic cognitive load, making the role of the AI assistant crucial.
Task: Evaluate these options. In the study, the AI agent would approach either immediately upon entry or delayed (after 5+ seconds of browsing).
The sales agent wasn't a static script. It utilized a real-time Generative AI pipeline to converse naturally with participants.
Voice Input
Azure STT
GPT-4 / OpenAI
Azure TTS
The participant speaks naturally to the avatar in the VR environment, asking questions like "Which printer is best for beginners?"
Comparing the Immediate (Agent interrupts instantly) vs. Delayed (Agent waits for browsing) conditions across 100 participants.
The Delayed condition significantly outperformed Immediate interference across all positive metrics. Users preferred autonomy before assistance.
Users in VR environments value the ability to explore independently. Premature intervention by AI agents breaks immersion and is perceived as annoying rather than helpful.
Sales agents should be programmed to detect "browsing behavior" (e.g., viewing multiple products) before offering assistance, mirroring effective human sales strategies.