From Ease-of-Use to Emotional Bonding: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Model of How AI Coach Anthropomorphism Drives System Use

This study employed a three-wave longitudinal design to examine the associations among adult users’ perceived anthropomorphism of AI coaches, technology acceptance, parasocial companionship, and subsequent system use when using AI-based fitness guidance tools. The final matched sample comprised 447 participants. The dataset contains participants’ age and gender, together with the retained questionnaire items measuring perceived AI coach anthropomorphism, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward use, behavioral intention, parasocial companionship, and system use. The accompanying codebook provides the variable names, measurement waves, construct assignments, item wording, response scales, and corresponding measurement sources. These materials are provided to support research transparency and facilitate the verification and reproduction of the principal analyses reported in the manuscript. The dataset contains no direct personal identifiers.