  This study is among the first to develop different prototypes of generative
AI (GenAI) chatbots powered by GPT 4 to communicate hurricane preparedness
information to diverse residents. Drawing from the Computers Are Social Actors
(CASA) paradigm and the literature on disaster vulnerability and cultural
tailoring, this study conducted a between-subjects experiment with 441 Black,
Hispanic, and Caucasian residents of Florida. A computational analysis of chat
logs (N = 7,848) shows that anthropomorphism and personalization are key
communication topics in GenAI chatbot-user interactions. SEM results (N = 441)
suggest that GenAI chatbots varying in tone formality and cultural tailoring
significantly predict bot perceptions and, subsequently, hurricane preparedness
outcomes. These results highlight the potential of using GenAI chatbots to
improve diverse communities' disaster preparedness.
