How older consumers perceive AI disclosure in advertising: relatability and trustworthiness across utilitarian and hedonic service contexts

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine how older consumers interpret artificial intelligence (AI) disclosure when evaluating the trustworthiness of AI-generated advertising across utilitarian and hedonic service contexts and explores the role of relatability in these evaluations. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted using 25 semi-structured interviews with Australian consumers aged 65 years and above. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with abductive reasoning and gerund-based coding. Findings Findings reveal that advertising trustworthiness is contextually calibrated rather than determined by AI disclosure alone. In utilitarian contexts, disclosure was associated with a transparency–scepticism tension, as greater awareness of AI involvement coincided with stronger expectations for credibility and human presence. In hedonic contexts, disclosure was often less salient but was associated with greater scepticism when AI-generated representations were perceived as unrealistic. Relatability functioned as an interpretive filter, with participants’ evaluations reflecting both social similarity and representational realism in judging whether AI-generated content was credible and relevant. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on older Australian consumers and future research should examine other demographic, cultural and service contexts. Practical implications Managers should adopt context sensitive AI disclosure strategies, combining appropriate disclosure with realistic representations and credible human elements. Social implications Responsible AI advertising requires transparent, inclusive and realistic representations that support older consumers’ confidence and meaningful participation in increasingly digital marketplaces. Originality/value This study advances AI advertising research by demonstrating that disclosure effects are interpreted through contextual expectations and relatability-based evaluations, providing an interpretive framework explaining how service context, disclosure meaning and perceptions of representational realism jointly shape perceived advertising trustworthiness.