METACOGNITION AND CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING IN AI-DRIVEN FINTECH MARKETS: A STUDY OF THE PAKISTANI MARKET

Abstract

The study focuses on exploring the connection between metacognitive awareness and consumer decision making in AI-based online markets in the Pakistani setting. Since more and more online consumer experiences are intermediated by artificial intelligence in the form of personalized recommendations, chatbots, predictive algorithms, it is necessary to understand how consumers consciously manage their cognitive processes in order to contribute to theoretical development and actual practice. Using a sample of 200 Pakistani urban digital consumers, this paper uses a quantitative research design to examine how metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive regulation, and metacognitive experiences influence the quality of decisions in AI-mediated settings. The results indicate that metacognitive awareness is a strong predictor of the quality of decision-making, and metacognitive regulation is the most powerful predictor. Nonetheless, the effect of AI personalization is rather complex: on the one hand, it enhances the efficiency of the decisions taken, whereas on the other hand, it can decrease the engagement of consumers in metacognitive monitoring. The paper recognizes an imperative conflict between the convenience of AI and the sustainability of autonomous consumer agency. The implications of this finding on Fintech marketers, the designers of AI systems, and consumer protection policymakers in emerging markets are significant.