
SPEAKER
Ulrich Gnewuch
Researcher

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
About
Ulrich Gnewuch
Ulrich Gnewuch is a researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His research focuses on how the anthropomorphic design of chatbots and voice assistants influences users’ perceptions and behavior in business interactions (e.g., in customer service or e-commerce). His initial interest in this research topic was sparked by attending the 2nd Chatbot Summit in Berlin in 2017 and listening to the many lively discussions about how “human-like” chatbots should be. Since then, he has conducted many studies in both laboratory and field settings to identify anthropomorphic or human-like cues of chatbots, understand their impact on user behavior (e.g., self-disclosure, decision-making), and provide design recommendations. In his research, he aims to bridge the gap between state-of-the-art chatbot technology and well-established theories from social psychology and interpersonal communication. Together with his colleagues, he founded chatbotresearch.com, a platform to facilitate joint projects and foster a continuous exchange between researchers and practitioners interested in the design of chatbots and voice assistants.