Balancing innovation and ethics: the role of artificial intelligence in transforming B2B customer experience

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on customer experience (CX) within business-to-business (B2B) companies, with a particular focus on the role of AI-powered customer support systems and the associated ethical implications. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews. The sample size consisted of 15 experts in AI and marketing experts. These participants, who were responsible for managing domain-specific functions in B2B companies located in Lebanon, provided insights into the intersection of AI and CX. Thematic analysis of these interviewees’ transcripts helped identify themes and subthemes for the interpretation of findings. Findings This study underscores the dual impact of AI-powered customer support systems, highlighting their potential to enhance personalization, efficiency and responsiveness while raising critical ethical concerns. It investigates how addressing transparency, bias mitigation and accountability in AI applications can sustain customer trust and loyalty in a B2B context. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of AI and CX in the B2B sector by addressing a critical gap: the limited empirical evidence on how organizations manage both the functional benefits and ethical challenges of AI-powered customer support. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies to explore these dual dimensions using semi-structured interviews with internal experts across diverse B2B industries.