Advertising Benefits from Ethical Artificial Intelligence Algorithmic Purchase Decision Pathways

TLDR

Artificial intelligence has transformed how organizations communicate with consumers, raising ethical concerns that must be central to advertising practices. The study outlines six ethical algorithmic purchase decision pathways, introduces an intelligent advertising AI framework, and proposes research questions to guide future work. The authors classify decision pathways into six ethical positions—egoism, deontology, relativism, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and care ethics—and map them onto phases of intelligent advertising.

Abstract

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) has dramatically changed the way organizations communicate, understand, and interact with their potential consumers. In the context of this trend, the ethical considerations of advertising when applying AI should be the core question for marketers. This paper discusses six dominant algorithmic purchase decision pathways that align with ethical philosophies for online customers when buying a product/goods. The six ethical positions include: ethical egoism, deontology (i.e., rule-based), relativist, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and ethics of care (i.e., stakeholders’ perspective). Furthermore, this paper launches an “intelligent advertising” AI theme by examining its present and future as well as identifying the key phases of intelligent advertising. Several research questions are offered to guide future research on intelligent advertising to benefit ethical AI decision-making. Finally, several areas that can be widely applied to ethical intelligent advertising are suggested for future research.