Social AI and Pro-Environmental Behaviour: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Influence of Chatbots and Virtual Assistants in Pakistan

Abstract

The intersection of artificial intelligence and environmental communication has opened a relatively unexplored corridor of inquiry in developing economies. This qualitative study examines how social AI tools — specifically chatbots and virtual assistants — shape pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours among urban Pakistani adults. Situated within a constructivist paradigm and drawing on interpretive phenomenological analysis, the study engaged 24 participants recruited through purposive and snowball sampling across Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted between January and April 2024 and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six overarching themes emerged: (1) the role of conversational AI in environmental awareness; (2) normalisation of green behaviours through habitual AI interaction; (3) credibility and trust in AI-generated environmental information; (4) socio-cultural mediators of AI influence; (5) limitations and resistances; and (6) aspirations for context-sensitive AI. Findings indicate that AI chatbots and virtual assistants serve as meaningful catalysts for incremental behavioural change, particularly among younger, educated segments of the urban population, though their impact is constrained by infrastructural disparities, cultural norms, and algorithmic biases rooted in Western environmental discourses. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on technology-mediated sustainability communication and offers culturally grounded recommendations for developers, policymakers, and environmental educators operating in the Global South.