<![CDATA[The growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in e-commerce has transformed consumer interactions, yet the mechanism through which Trust in AI drives purchasing decisions particularly via Customer Engagement as a mediator remains underexplored among younger consumers in emerging regional markets. This study aims to analyze the influence of Trust in AI on Customer Purchase Decisions and examine the role of Customer Engagement as a mediating variable among Generation Z and Millennials in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province. This study employed a quantitative approach with explanatory survey design. Data were collected from 120 respondents through an online questionnaire and analyzed using PLS-SEM with SmartPLS 4 software. The results show that Trust in AI has a positive and significant effect on Customer Engagement and Customer Purchase Decision. Customer Engagement also has a positive and significant effect on Customer Purchase Decision. In addition, Customer Engagement is proven to partially mediate the relationship between Trust in AI and Customer Purchase Decision. Theoretically, these findings extend the Technology Acceptance Model and Social Exchange Theory by demonstrating that engagement serves as the primary pathway through which AI trust translates into purchasing behavior. Managerially, e-commerce businesses need to design digital features and experiences that actively encourage consumer engagement to strengthen the effect of Trust in AI on purchasing decisions among the younger generation.]]>
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