Consumers perceive AI-designed products as less sustainable than human-designed alternatives

TAMPA, Fla. (July 30, 2026) — Consumers consistently perceive products designed by artificial intelligence as less sustainable than identical products designed by humans, according to new research published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. The findings suggest that consumers evaluate sustainability not only by a product's environmental performance, but also by whether they believe genuine human care went into its design.

Researchers Dipayan Biswas of the University of South Florida and Barbara Duffek of Georgia State University conducted a series of experiments, interviews with executives and a field study examining how consumers evaluate products described as either AI-designed or human-designed. Across the studies, participants consistently rated AI-designed products as less sustainable, even when the products themselves were otherwise identical.

"As organizations increasingly incorporate AI into product development, it's important to recognize that consumers don't judge sustainability solely on technical performance," said Biswas, the Frank Harvey Endowed Professor of Marketing in the USF Muma College of Business. "Our findings suggest that perceptions of genuine care and human intention remain an important part of how people evaluate whether a product is sustainable."

The researchers found that the effect was driven by perceptions of "genuine care"—the belief that emotional qualities such as care, concern and intention were invested in a product's creation. Because consumers symbolically associate sustainability with these human values, products described as AI-designed were viewed as lacking an important ingredient of sustainability, regardless of their actual environmental characteristics.

The bias extended beyond perceptions. In one study, participants choosing between otherwise identical products for sustainability-related reasons overwhelmingly selected the human-designed option. In a field experiment, advertisements promoting AI-designed products also generated lower click-through and engagement rates than advertisements for products described as human-designed.

The products included everyday items such as a backpack, a toothbrush, a reusable cup and a tote bag. These items were selected to demonstrate the robustness of the effect across a wide range of products. 

"The results are interesting and surprising since AI-designed products can objectively be more sustainable," Biswas said. "However, consumers do not subjectively perceive it that way."

The researchers also identified potential ways companies can address the perception gap. Providing cues that human designers remained actively involved in the development process or emphasizing human oversight alongside AI-assisted design reduced the effect, suggesting consumers respond positively when AI is presented as augmenting rather than replacing human creativity and care.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into product development, the findings suggest companies may need to communicate not only the environmental performance of AI-assisted products but also the role of human judgment, intention and oversight in creating products consumers perceive as truly sustainable.

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About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.