<![CDATA[This research aims to analyze the impact of AI chatbot implementation on customer satisfaction in the food and beverage (F&B) business in Labuan Bajo by examining the role of customer digital trust as a mediating variable. This research uses an explanatory quantitative approach with purposive sampling technique on 131 F&B customers who have experience interacting with AI chatbots. The data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method with the help of the SmartPLS 4 application to test the relationships between variables in the research model. The implementation of AI chatbots has been proven to have a positive and significant impact on digital trust and customer satisfaction directly. Additionally, digital trust also has a positive and significant impact on customer satisfaction. The results of the mediation test indicate the presence of complementary partial mediation, meaning that more than half of the AI chatbot's influence on customer satisfaction occurs thru the enhancement of customer digital trust. This research enriches the TAM and ERP by providing a mechanistic explanation of the conditions under which the relationship between AI chatbots and customer satisfaction holds, while also being the first study to test this mechanism in F&B businesses at Indonesia's super-priority tourist destinations. F&B business operators need to develop chatbots that not only focus on response speed but also build credibility and customer trust. Meanwhile, local governments can use these findings as a basis for designing more effective digitalization support programs for MSMEs that meet the needs of business operators. The research sample was dominated by domestic tourists and collected thru a cross-sectional design at a single destination, so the generalization of the findings needs to be done with caution. Future research is recommended to use a longitudinal design and a comparative approach between destinations to obtain a broader understanding.]]>
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