From AI disclosure to purchase intention: The mediating role of trust and the moderating effect of collectivistic orientation in Vietnam

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advertising raises questions about consumer trust and behavioral responses, particularly in emerging collectivistic markets. This study aims to examine whether AI disclosure in advertising affects purchase intention through trust and whether collectivistic orientation moderates the effect of AI disclosure on trust among Gen Z consumers in Vietnam. Using a between-subjects online experiment and survey, data were collected in Da Nang, Vietnam, from May 1 to May 20, 2025, with 400 Gen Z social media users randomly assigned to an AI disclosure condition or a non-disclosure condition. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test direct, mediated, and moderated effects while controlling for ad authenticity. The results indicate that AI disclosure increases trust (β = 0.469, p < 0.001), and trust positively predicts purchase intention (β = 0.279, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of AI disclosure on purchase intention through trust is significant (β = 0.131, p = 0.001), whereas the direct effect on purchase intention is not significant (β = -0.091, p = 0.093). Collectivistic orientation weakens the AI disclosure-trust relationship (β = -0.068, p = 0.018). Ad authenticity remains a strong predictor of purchase intention (β = 0.646, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that transparency can build trust, but its effectiveness depends on cultural orientation, implying that managers should combine AI disclosure with authenticity cues in collectivistic settings.