Human–AI Service Co-Management for Airlines: Reducing Digital Friction in AirAsia’s AskBo
Keywords:
AirAsia virtual assistants1 Digital friction2 Airasia’s AskBo3 Human-AI4 AI avatar5Abstract
Virtual assistants are integral to digital customer service; however, users often experience emotional, cognitive, and interactional challenges during AI-mediated interactions. This study introduces Perceived Digital Friction as a framework to explain psychological discomfort in human–AI service communication. Using a qualitative approach, real-time interactions with AirAsia’s virtual assistant, AskBo, were analysed through thematic analysis. Three dimensions of digital friction were identified: i) emotional frustration, ii) cognitive overload, and iii) contextual disruption. Based on these findings, the study proposes Human–AI Service Co-Management Guidelines integrating AI avatar video interfaces with human oversight. This innovation enhances service accessibility by enabling audio-based support for blind users and visual avatar communication for deaf users, while ensuring seamless escalation to human agents.
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