AI‑Driven Video Advertisements and Ethical Concerns: Exploring College Student Perceptions in Mumbai

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the advertising industry, enabling brands to produce video content that is personalized, visually engaging, scalable, and cost‑effective. Despite these advantages, the proliferation of AI in advertising raises significant ethical concerns, particularly regarding authenticity, transparency, privacy, misinformation, and deepfakes. These issues are especially relevant among college students, who encounter advertisements extensively through social media platforms. This study investigates the perceptions of AI‑generated video advertisements among college students in Mumbai, with a focus on ethics, authenticity, and trust. A quantitative research design was employed, and primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms. The final sample consisted of 91 respondents, who provided insights into their social media usage, perceptions of AI‑driven advertising, and concerns related to ethical practices. The findings indicate that lack of transparency was the most prominent ethical concern (42%), followed by privacy misuse (30%) and misleading content or deepfakes (20%). Respondents emphasized the importance of clear disclosure of AI involvement, truthful communication, human oversight, protection of personal data, and avoidance of misleading or stereotypical representations. The study concludes that students do not categorically reject AI‑generated advertising; rather, their acceptance is contingent upon responsible and transparent application of AI technologies. Overall, the results highlight that technological innovation in advertising must be supported by authenticity, ethical communication, transparency, and human oversight to strengthen trust among college students in Mumbai. These insights contribute to ongoing debates on digital ethics and the responsible integration of AI in advertising practices. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI-Generated Video Advertisements, College Students, Advertising Ethics, Social Media