Overcoming Anchoring Bias: The Potential of AI and XAI-based Decision Support

AI can help counteract anchoring bias in purchasing decisions: The study found that AI-based decision support systems reduced the negative effects of anchoring bias, which occurs when people rely too heavily on an initial piece of information (like a price) when making decisions.

Explainable AI (XAI) enhances the bias-reduction effect: When AI systems were combined with explanations of their reasoning (XAI), they were more effective at helping people make less biased decisions, suggesting that transparency about how AI reaches conclusions matters for improving human decision-making.

Current systems often exploit rather than combat bias: The research highlights that many existing information systems are deliberately designed to leverage anchoring bias to manipulate purchasing behavior, raising ethical concerns about how technology is currently being used in commerce.

Design choices matter for responsible AI deployment: The findings suggest that when building decision support systems, designers can intentionally incorporate AI and XAI features to help users overcome cognitive biases rather than exploit them—offering a pathway toward more ethical technology design.

Evidence-based approach to bias mitigation: With 390 participants across two experiments, this research provides empirical support for using AI and explainability as practical tools in real-world applications, moving beyond theoretical discussions to demonstrate measurable improvements in decision quality.