The Role of AI-Generated Advertising Sentiments in Poaching Consumer Emotions: A Behavioural Marketing Approach

This research report examines the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on consumer behaviour and the generation of emotionally charged advertisements within a behavioural marketing framework. The study investigates the potential impact of AI-generated sentiments on consumers' emotional responses, perceptions of manipulation, trust, and purchase intentions, as AI technologies continue to shape the personalized and delivered nature of digital content. The research collected primary data from 38 digitally active Indian consumers aged 18–35, and it was grounded in Emotional Processing Theory, Dual-System Theory, and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, employing a mixed-methods approach. The findings indicate that AI-generated advertisements have a substantial impact on emotional engagement and purchase intention, frequently surpassing human-generated content in terms of intensity and precision. In addition, this emotional influence raises ethical concerns regarding authenticity and manipulation. It is discovered in the study that trust is influenced by an increased awareness of AI's involvement, which in turn moderates emotional responses. The results underscore a paradox: the potential for AI to erode consumer trust through perceived manipulation is present, despite the fact that it improves marketing efficiency and emotional resonance. The study offers theoretical contributions to emotional advertising and behavioural marketing, as well as practical and policy-level recommendations for the ethical deployment of AI in digital advertising. Keywords: Social-media, Consumer behaviour, consumer decisions