Between Innovation and Surveillance: Saudi Arabian Consumers’ Perceptions of AI-Driven Marketing Practices

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in contemporary marketing practices through personalization, automation, and data-driven decision making. While existing research has largely focused on firm-level outcomes, less attention has been paid to how consumers perceive and experience AI-driven marketing, particularly in non-Western contexts. This study explores Saudi Arabian consumers’ perceptions of AI-driven marketing using a qualitative approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with twenty consumers in Saudi Arabia who had experience with AI-enabled marketing applications. Thematic analysis reveals that consumer perceptions are characterized by ambivalence. Participants valued AI-driven marketing for its convenience and personalization, yet expressed concerns regarding algorithmic opacity, data privacy, surveillance, and loss of control. Cultural and ethical considerations played an important role in shaping evaluations of AI-driven marketing practices, and consumers demonstrated agency by adopting strategies to manage or resist perceived algorithmic influence. The study contributes to a human-centered understanding of AI in marketing and offers insights for designing culturally sensitive and ethically grounded AI-enabled marketing strategies.