<![CDATA[Purpose: The objective of this research is to explore how Artificial Intelligence applications drive customer engagement in selected Deposit Money Banks in Abuja Metropolis, through the mediating influence of personalization. The research is grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model, aiming to explore how chatbot and biometric technologies influence customer engagement through the lens of personalization.Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a cross-sectional survey design, targeting online retail customers of five banks Access Bank, First Bank, GTBank, United Bank for Africa, and Zenith Bank within the Abuja Municipal Area Council. A total sample size of 119 respondents involved in the study. The data were collected via a structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).Findings: The results revealed that Biometric Authentication has a positive and significant effect on customer engagement. Chatbots have a negative but significant effect on customer engagement. Personalization has a negative and non-significant effect on customer engagement. For the mediating relationship, personalization does not mediate the relationship between biometric authentication and customer engagement. Personalization does not serve as a mediator between chat-bots and customer engagementLimitations and Research implications: The study is limited to online retail customers of five banks within a single geographical area (Abuja), which may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research could expand the geographic scope and consider longitudinal data to observe trends over time.Practical Implications: The findings suggest the need for banks to develop a comprehensive AI strategy that cohesively integrates chatbots, biometric systems, and personalized services to enhance customer engagement. Emphasis should be placed on improving the effectiveness and customer perception of biometric technologies.Originality/value: This study contributes to the growing literature on AI adoption in banking by empirically validating the role of personalization as a mediator in the relationship between AI tools and customer engagement. It also extends the application of the Technology Acceptance Model in the context of AI-driven banking services in Nigeria]]>
