The use of artificial intelligence in marketing

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is used more and more in a lot of different fields, including marketing. It is now believed that AI can be used effectively in marketing, because the technique functions as it is intended. However, the side of the consumer has never been taken into consideration. Marketing nowadays relies on the input from consumers, making them important for the effectivity of the marketing strategy. This means consumers eventually decide whether AI can be used effectively in marketing or not. That is why this research has looked at the attitudes of consumers towards predictions made by an algorithm in comparison to predictions made by a human. To test this a survey was used in which different outfits were shown and paired with either the label made by an algorithm or the label made by a human fashion expert. Subsequently the liking, trust, buying and spending attitudes of the participants towards the outfits were measured. The results show that there is no difference in liking, trust, buying and spending attitudes between outfits created by an algorithm and outfits created by a human fashion expert. This could however be explained by the young age and the relatively high fashion expertise of the participant sample. Even though no differences have been found, this research provides important insights into the use of AI in marketing, helping companies to create the most effective marketing strategy so that they get the opportunity to grow.