Abstract
This AI-Powered Brand mascots have emerged as interactive brand representations on social media platforms as a result of the growing use of AI in digital Marketing. Brand Mascots is a character that reinforces and develops a brand's narrative. In the era of AI, The AI-Powered Brand Mascots are virtual, intelligent brand representatives. They become a virtual in-house brand representative alongside interactive brand representatives on social media platforms. The prior studies have examined AI chatbots, limited research has explored user acceptance and Perception of AI-powered Brand Mascots within the context of Indigenous Social Media platforms in India. This study aims to examine the user perception, Emotional Connection, Trust, Engagement and Perceived Platform fit towards AI-Powered brands Mascots. A Quantitative survey was conducted among the social media users, and the reliability of the measurement scales was validated using Cronbach's Alpha. The construct scores were measured using the K-means Cluster Analysis. The results reveal three-distinct users, Brand Love mascots, Buzz-Seeking Mascots and Buzz-Averse Mascots highlighting heterogeneity in acceptance and engagement with AI-powered brand Mascots. The findings offer practical insights for brands seeking to deploy AI mascots on indigenous social media platforms by adopting segment-specific engagement strategies.