Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, yet little is known about how consumers experience and make decisions regarding follow-up care with medical AI. We take an interdisciplinary approach combining behavioral research and neuroscience to examine how anthropomorphism and personalization influence well-being and follow-up decisions. Study 1 found that consumers felt well-being after interacting with a highly personalized interaction, whether human or AI doctor. However, they preferred follow-up visits with the human doctor. Empathy mediated these effects. Study 2 used fMRI to show that the anterior cingulate cortex had greater activation when interacting with the human doctor, indicating more emotional processing and conflict resolution. These findings suggest that medical AI cannot currently replace human doctors, who remain vital for actual medical consultations and treatment. However, consumers viewed AI doctors positively and expressed a belief that AI will enhance well-being. By integrating neuroscience, this research provides biological evidence complementing behavioral findings.

Metaverse blends the physical and virtual worlds, transforming the customer's shopping experience. This study aims to identify the psychological mechanism in the metaverse environment and the relationship between metaverse experience and consumer happiness. To identify metaverse experiences, both behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies were conducted. In a behavioral study, we found that consumers' happiness increased when participants were in an immersive metaverse space. In the fMRI study, we found greater activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and lateral occipital cortex (LOC) regions in the high level of the immersive metaverse and found a positive relationship with consumers' happiness. This paper is the first attempt in marketing to provide an integrative brain map for the metaverse experience. This brain map helps marketers better understand the consumer experience. This study suggests that only in the immersive metaverse space where virtual and physical experiences interact can consumers become one with the virtual space and maximize customer experience values.