Falsity images also have real benefits? The impact of AI-generated advertisements' visual styles and reach methods on consumer consultation intentions

AI technology has brought about tremendous changes in the advertising design, production, editing, and reach in the retail and service industries. However, consumers' false awareness of AI-generated advertisements has raised authenticity doubts. Based on the visual attention theory, construal level theory, and the regulatory focus theory, this article explores the impact of visual styles (concrete vs. abstract) and reach method (permission-based reach vs. prediction-based reach) of AI-generated advertisements on consumers' consultation intentions and their boundary conditions through four experiments (N = 940). The results showed that AI-generated advertisements are not always better when they are more authentic. Conversely, “avoiding the concrete and focusing on the abstract" can produce better effects. Existing the matching effect of “concrete + permission-based reach" and “abstract + prediction-based reach". Further analysis reveals that the regulatory focus and perceived trust play a mediating role in this matching effect process. Furthermore, this study also found that low perceived economic mobility amplifies this matching effect, but individuals with high perceived economic mobility show a preference for abstract visual styles. Our findings reveal the differentiated dual influence pathway and underlying psychological mechanism of the visual styles and reach methods of AI-generated advertisements on consumers' behavioral intentions, and provide useful insights for marketing strategies, such as advertising design and delivery based on AI in retail and service industries.