Advances in Consumer Research
Issue 11 : 358-388
Original Article
Beyond the Mat: AI Yogic Avatars as Agentic Leaders in Shaping Consumer Online Food Choices and Digital Well-Being
 ,
Loading Image...
1
G.D Goenka University, Gurugram ORCID IDs: 0009-0007-9284-3900
2
G.D Goenka University, Gurugram K.R Mangalam University, Gurugram
Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive metaverse technologies are opening up novel areas of leadership and digital well-being. In this paper, the concept of AI Yogic Avatars is proposed intelligent, empathic and adaptive AI characters which function as digital leaders to enable individuals to achieve physical, psychological and spiritual balance. Research on yoga in the metaverse currently revolves around human-led approaches like live or pre-recorded yoga sessions that suffer from restrictions of accessibility, scalability and engagement with emotions. Simultaneously, there has been a shift towards online food delivery services whereby the convenience, promotions and stress involved often compel people to order calorie-rich and nutrient-poor foods. Yogic principles regard food (aahara) as an essential component of yoga, yet digital well-being systems fail to integrate yoga guidance and food consumption habits of the user. Based on the leadership theories, concepts of emotional intelligence, philosophy of yogic practice and digital nudging, it is suggested that AI Yogic Avatars utilizing emotion recognition, pose detection and adaptive communication may become a consistently empathic virtual leader not only during the physical yoga practice but even at the point of online food ordering. Qualitative study involving 34 participants familiar with yoga, digital wellness practice, metaverse and AI was performed via semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the participants appreciate the empathy and adaptation capabilities of the avatar; connect it with decreased stress level, increased mindfulness and resilience; and believe that human teachers are indispensable for providing authentic and spiritually oriented learning experience. Based on the results of the study and existing literature on online food environment and mindful eating, the conceptual model is extended with the fourth outcome Mindful Online Food Behaviour including sattvic food choice and less stress-based ordering behavior, mediated by integration of the avatar with online food platforms. The paper provides the research propositions and the interview module to validate this extension along with the discussion of the ethical considerations regarding the collection of the emotional and dietary data.

Keywords
Recommended Articles
Original Article
Digital Human Resource Management Practices, Employee Experience, and Organizational Commitment in Digitally Transforming Organizations: A Mediation Analysis
...
Original Article
From Corporate Social Responsibility to Consumer Preference the Mediating Role of Corporate Image and Brand Trust
...
Original Article
Retail Investor Behaviour and Options Trading Performance in India: the Role of Behavioural Biases, Financial Literacy and Risk Management
...
Original Article
Knowledge Sharing and Innovative Work Behavior: An Empirical Study of Hospitality Sector in Punjab and Haryana
Loading Image...
Volume 3, Issue 11
Citations
17 Views
14 Downloads
Share this article
© Copyright Advances in Consumer Research