Call for paper for a Special Issue of Internet Research.
AI for a Better Future
Guest editors: Abboud L, Ameen N, Pitardi V and Shin H.
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Artificial intelligence (AI) is permeating individuals’ daily lives and as such has various long-term marketing implications (Sahoo et al., 2023). For example, brands and consumers rely on AI agents to perform daily tasks (e.g., using Alexa voice-assistant at home), provide emotional support (e.g., having a Replika social companion), or perform critical services in restaurants (e.g., humanoid service robot Pepper serving coffee).
Given their humanlike characteristics, such AI agents act as emotional and social actors for different industries and possess a long-term transformative potential (Henkel et al., 2020). In addition, the latest developments of AI -i.e., Generative AI- is revolutionizing the way we live; and rapidly transforming industries and society, making it possible to solve complex problems and create more efficient and effective solutions (Ameen et al., 2023).
For instance, ChatGPT can help marketers brainstorm ideas faster and make decisions quicker to help societies by informing and educating consumers. The positive effects of AI technology have been documented in extant marketing studies, with positive effects on consumers’ well-being, self-esteem, identity and self-efficacy (Hollebeek and Belk, 2021; Ameen et al., 2022a; Marikyan et al., 2023). Other studies have recently highlighted the transhumanist potential of wearable robotic technologies (Mende et al., 2023) to deliver superior marketing experiences and technologically-augment employees and consumers’ capabilities (Ameen et al., 2022b).
However, AI can also create negative consequences such as the spread of fake news, inaccurate content and misinformation to name a few. For instance, the answers generated by ChatGPT are indistinguishable from human-generated content (Dwivedi et al., 2023), leading to issues related to the recognition of authorship rights. Hence, AI technology can pose challenges to practitioners (e.g., design of ethical AI uses for consumers) and policymakers (e.g., potential misinformation risks for consumers, disruption to societies through delegation of tasks). The negative side of AI technology (e.g., potential to co-destruct value, misinformation risks, negative effects on emotions) remains a relevant area for further inquiry (Blut et al., 2021; Filieri et al., 2022; McCarthy et al., 2023).
For instance, AI technology give rise to new ethical and privacy-related implications (Birkstedt et al., 2023; Wirtz et al., 2023). AI-based decisions can legitimize discrimination (i.e., gender or racial disparities) because they are perceived by consumers as less biased than human-based decisions (Bonezzi and Ostinelli, 2021) and possibly worsen discriminatory practices against consumers in marginalized communities. Opportunities thus exist to advance our understanding of the implications of AI technology in marketing and promote dialogue on its role on shaping a better future and creating long-term positive impact on societies.
The purpose of this special issue is to focus on the interplay between different forms of AI technology (e.g., Generative AI, chatbots, voice-assistants, service robots, fitness trackers), marketing and their implications for different stakeholders (i.e., consumers, businesses, frontline employees and society). Contributions to this special issue are invited to explore the conditions under which AI technology may have positive and/or negative effects on individuals’ behaviors, emotions, perceptions of well-being, social inclusion, ethical concerns and transformative service experiences. In doing so, we aim to offer insights on the effective and efficient use of AI technology in marketing.
Thus, we welcome submissions focusing on behavioural research which explore the marketing implications of AI-powered technologies and offer novel methodological or empirical contributions. We particularly seek interdisciplinary perspectives in Marketing and Information Systems that would stimulate a future research agenda and offer recommendations on how AI technology can lead to optimal experiences for people. Many global challenges still exist which need new forms of collaborations between marketing academics, practitioners and policymakers.
The special issue would develop a knowledge base for insightful discussions on these topics. Submissions may come from a wide range of methodological approaches (such as netnography, field studies, experimental studies, survey research, data mining, machine learning, qualitative research).
List of Topic Areas:
– AI technology, vulnerability and negative emotions
– AI technology, society, and consumer inclusion
– AI technology for a better customer experience
– AI technology and ethical concerns: biases, privacy and misinformation
Guest Editors:
– Liliane Abboud, University of Surrey, UK
– Nisreen Ameen, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
– Valentina Pitardi, University of Surrey, UK
– Hyunju Shin, Kennesaw State University, USA
Submissions Information:
Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access is available through the journal’s ScholarOne page. Author guidelines must be strictly followed. To access the Author Guidelines, please see the journal homepage. Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”. Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
Key Deadlines:
Opening date: 15th of September 2024
Closing date: 1st of December 2024
More info here.
