AI and vulnerable consumers
The University of St Andrews and Macquarie University are pleased to offer a scholarship funded by both institutions to support an exceptional student undertaking doctoral research.
This joint PhD scholarship from St Andrews and Macquarie supports research into how AI-mediated services can be designed to preserve vulnerable consumers’ agency when opting out is not an option.
Key details
- 20268947
- PhD
- Call for expressions of interest closes 18 December 2026
- Domestic, International
- Business, information technologies
- AUD$40,900 (2027 rate) while on Macquarie University campus; £20,467 per annum pro rata while on University of St Andrews campus
Full project title: When opting out is not an option: Designing AI services that preserve vulnerable consumers’ agency
Artificial intelligence increasingly mediates access to essential services such as banking, healthcare and government support, and its deployment is accompanied by the withdrawal of human alternatives as physical service branches close. With lower digital confidence, older adults bear a disproportionate share of this transition.
Consumer vulnerability is now understood as a state produced by structural conditions rather than a stable trait, yet research still assumes that users can reject the automated channel. For many vulnerable consumers that option is disappearing in both the UK and Australia, but on different regulatory trajectories:
- the UK has introduced statutory access-to-cash duties and shared banking hubs
- Australia has relied largely on industry-led commitments.
About the scholarship
This project introduces constrained exit as the factor through which age-related disadvantage becomes service vulnerability. When the human alternative disappears, using the AI system is no longer a choice.
Customers who cannot walk away also cannot take their business elsewhere, so providers lose the commercial pressure that would normally push them to make the service work for everyone. Whether these users are well served then depends on how the system is designed and what safeguards surround it.
The project identifies perceived agency as the outcome that inclusive design must preserve, and by comparing Scotland and Australia it isolates what design alone achieves. The research questions are:
- How does constrained exit shape trust and perceived agency among vulnerable consumers, and how do these effects differ across the UK/Australian regulatory contexts?
- Which design features preserve agency, and users’ ability to detect erroneous automated outputs, when no human channel is available?
- How do human oversight and error-recovery safeguards influence perceived fairness and continued service use?
Expected outcomes include:
- an Inclusive AI Service Framework published in leading service journals
- guidance for regulators on providers’ obligations once human channels are withdrawn, directly addressing the Resilient Societies priority.
The student will spend 21 months at each university and will benefit from research training at both institutions.
At St Andrews, this includes:
- research training in management theory, the philosophy and methodology of social science, and qualitative and quantitative methods
- seminars from international scholars visiting the Business School
- PhD away days
- St Leonard’s Postgraduate College
- the Scottish Marketing Network.
At Macquarie, this includes:
- the Department of Marketing’s journal reading club
- international guest presentations
- the Graduate Research Academy’s research training offer
- the Applied AI Research Centre
- Ethics and Agency Research Centre.
This project will be co-supervised by:
- Professor Graeme McLean (Principal Supervisor, St Andrews) – Professor of Marketing, Department of Management, St Andrews Business School
- Dr Rico Piehler (Principal Supervisor, Macquarie) – Senior Lecturer, Department of Marketing, Macquarie Business School
- Dr Ivan Ho (Associate Supervisor, Macquarie) – Lecturer, Department of Marketing, Macquarie Business School.
Candidate profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated candidate who has:
- a strong honours and/or master’s degree (ideally including a substantial research component) in marketing, management, consumer behaviour, psychology, human–computer interaction or a related discipline
- training or experience in quantitative research methods, such as survey and experimental design and multivariate analysis (eg mediation and moderation analysis)
- familiarity with, or willingness to develop skills in, qualitative methods such as in-depth interviewing
- a strong interest in AI-enabled services, consumer vulnerability, responsible AI or inclusive service design
- excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Research outputs such as conference papers or publications are an advantage.
Eligibility
Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met.
- For St Andrews, refer to how to apply and entry requirements.
- For Macquarie University, refer to PhD entry and English language requirements and graduate research scholarship eligibility criteria.
Mode of study
Full-time
Year of entry
2027-2028 academic year (St Andrews), 2027 academic year (Macquarie).
Students will enrol at both institutions from the outset. In terms of their location for study, two entry points for students are available:
- If beginning at St Andrews, 27 September 2027 or 27 January 2028.
- If beginning at Macquarie, 1 October 2027 or 1 February 2028.
Additional criteria
Applicants must not already:
- hold a doctoral degree
- be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.
Duration of award
The scholarship duration is up to 3.5 years. The student will be expected to spend half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.
Funding
Funding arrangements are made on the basis that:
- For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarships will comprise a full tuition fee award and an annual stipend paid at a rate set by the University of St Andrews. For 2026 to 2027, the stipend is £20,467 per annum pro rata. The 2027-2028 rate will be published as soon as possible.
- Macquarie will fund a living allowance scholarship per position at an annual rate of AUD$40,900 (2027 rate, tax exempt), paid pro-rata while the student is in Australia. A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months. Macquarie will also provide:
- an airfare allowance for flights between the UK and Australia up to a maximum of AUD$4000 to be arranged by the Graduate Research Academy
- a Single Overseas Student Health Cover with Macquarie’s preferred provider.
Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:
- any continuation, extension or resubmission period/fees
- a research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses
- support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.
Submit your expression of interest (EOI) to:
- Professor Graeme McLean (St Andrews supervisor) at gjm29@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Dr Rico Piehler (Macquarie supervisor) at rico.piehler@mq.edu.au
- Dr Ivan Ho (Macquarie associate supervisor) at i.ho@mq.edu.au
- cc gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au.
The participating schools at St Andrews and the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie in coordination with the academic supervisors will complete the selection process.
EOI documents to be submitted:
- CV including information about publications
- transcripts of most relevant/recent degrees
- information about thesis components (thesis mark, word count, weight/length in comparison to the degree overall)
- statement of suitability as a candidate for the project (max 500 words)
- indication that the student meets the English language requirements for entry into a PhD program at both universities, or willingness to obtain relevant English language proficiency test results.
The Global Office at St Andrews will work with the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie to arrange official notification of scholarship awards, invite scholarship awardees to formally apply for admission to both universities by the beginning of April 2027, and conclude contractual arrangements which must be in place prior to the start of the degree.
Students who are nominated for the award will be asked to formally apply for the relevant PhD course code and Cotutelle/joint PhD scholarship through the Macquarie application portal.