The role of AI in shaping consumer experience: a study of engagement, value perception, and trust in E-commerce

The rise of AI-enhanced e-commerce has transformed digital retail by enabling personalized shopping experiences through advanced technologies. Despite growing attention, limited research has comprehensively examined how AI-driven innovations influence consumer experience through key psychological and relational mechanisms. This study investigates the impact of AI-enhanced e-commerce on consumer experience, focusing on the mediating roles of customer engagement and perceived value, as well as the moderating role of consumer trust. A quantitative approach was employed, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The results reveal that AI-enhanced e-commerce significantly improves consumer experience, with customer engagement and perceived value acting as key mediators, while consumer trust strengthens these relationships. By integrating mediating and moderating mechanisms within a unified framework, this study extends existing research and provides practical insights for e-commerce platforms seeking to enhance engagement, trust, and perceived value through AI-driven features.