Going Green with AI-Powered Virtual Influencers: The Role of Social Cues, Source Credibility and Environmental Identity

This study examines how AI-powered virtual influencers (VIs) encouraging green behavior among social media users. Drawing on the Computers-Are-Social-Actors (CASA) paradigm and integrating Source Attractiveness and Source Credibility models, this study proposes a framework that offers comprehensive insights into the psychological mechanisms through which virtual influencers (VIs) impact their followers’ pro-environmental intentions. An online survey collected 603 valid responses from users who had interacted with sustainability content shared by VIs. Social cues (anthropomorphism, warmth, and competence) and source credibility (attractiveness, homophily, authenticity, and expertise) positively influenced social presence and trust, which in turn shaped pro-environmental intentions. Environmental self-identity strengthens the relationship between social presence and pro-environmental intention but attenuates the effect of credibility on these intentions. These findings advance understanding of VIs’ role in sustainable behavior and offer actionable insights for designing VI-driven campaigns to foster greener consumer practices.