Digital Marketing in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Age

Abstract

We are living in a period of profound change driven by digitization, information and communication technology, machine learning, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) (Gupta, Keen, Shah, & Verdier, 2017). Traditional marketing is shifting to digital marketing enabled by AI and machine learning. Customer consumption behavior has changed from traditional in-store shopping to online shopping (T. Thiraviyam, 2018). U.S. Census Bureau Figures show that over the last two decades, U.S. online retail sales have grown from 5 million in 1998 to 389 million in 2016. In Europe, Enterprises Total Turnover from E-commerce increases from 15% in 2014 to 19% in 2017 (Eurostat, 2019). This research will focus on AI and machine learning effect on digital marketing and customer behavior. This research involves both interview and survey. This qualitative study will examine how marketers are capitalizing on the capabilities of AI and machine learning to predict customer behavior, offer one-to-one digital marketing, enhance sales, and increase customer satisfaction. Interviews will be conducted with executives from digital marketing companies and traditional brick and mortar companies that are embracing digital marketing. The survey will be used in these companies to capture data from digital marketing and sales personnel.