AI-Mediated Negotiation: Design Reflections and Lessons

The article presents "Trucey," a conversational AI coaching system designed for high-stakes workplace negotiations, which was evaluated through a pre-registered experiment with 267 participants. The system was based on four assumptions regarding preparation strategies, but results indicated that a static handbook outperformed AI conditions in terms of empowerment and usability, highlighting a mismatch between the AI's linear execution model and the recursive nature of negotiation tasks. This study suggests a need for re-evaluating human-AI interaction design principles and proposes a sequencing principle for future AI coaching systems.