Abstract

emphasizing authenticity, emotional transparency, and vulnerability disclosure as key drivers of consumer engagement and trust. However, existing research remains fragmented, offering limited understanding of how vulnerability disclosure influences consumer perceptions, emotional attachment, and behavioral intentions. This study introduces Human Brand Authenticity Intelligence (HBAI), an interdisciplinary conceptual framework integrating authenticity theory, emotional branding, consumer psychology, and AI-driven sentiment intelligence to explain consumer responses to vulnerability disclosure in digital environments. The research adopts a conceptual and analytical approach combining literature synthesis, behavioral psychology, emotional engagement theory, and digital consumer behavior modeling. The proposed framework examines the relationships among vulnerability disclosure, perceived authenticity, emotional engagement, parasocial interaction, consumer trust, and behavioral intentions. The conceptual analysis suggests that genuine, voluntary, and emotionally consistent vulnerability disclosure can strengthen perceived authenticity, emotional attachment, and consumer loyalty. Conversely, excessive, inconsistent, or strategically manipulated disclosures may undermine credibility and generate consumer skepticism. Perceived authenticity emerges as a central mediating mechanism connecting emotional transparency with positive consumer responses. The study contributes to human branding literature by introducing HBAI, developing an integrated framework for understanding authenticity-driven consumer relationships, and highlighting the dual role of vulnerability disclosure as both a trust-building strategy and a potential reputational risk. Furthermore, it identifies opportunities for AI driven authenticity analytics and ethical influencer communication, offering theoretical foundations and managerial implications for sustainable human branding strategies across increasingly personalized social media ecosystems.