Generative AI in Digital Marketing

Abstract How generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) influences digital marketing is studied based on a secondary-data review of peer-reviewed research and an official industry survey. Three research questions frame the literature review: research on GenAI implications for consumer engagement and perception; and findings on trust, authenticity, disclosure, and purchase intention. An integrative study design using descriptive-analytical procedures is adopted. Publication year 2018-October 2026 was selected for relevance, credibility, transparent methodology, and bibliographic traceability. Results are thematically compared; numerical data are reported only as explicitly published by the original source. No original survey, interview, experiment, or statistical test was conducted. Findings show that on the organizational level, 71% of respondents to McKinsey's 2025 survey report that their organizations regularly employ GenAI in at least one aspect of their business. On the consumer level, evidencedattenuatespositiveimpactssuggestoflargerpotentialconsumer response. AI increases perceptions of novelty, is viewed as more creative, and improved creativity increases responses. Responses are reduced by perceptions of diminished authenticity and effort, with diminutions worsening with algorithm aversion. Recent research shows that disclosure impacts response depending on the specific disclosure mechanism, context, and signal that accompanies the disclosure. To conclude, GenAI is not us for simply tool that replaces the human touch; it must be incorporated with human-guided principles that guard against reliance on trust, precepts of diminished authenticity, and diminished novelty. Consistent with the effort-diminishing aspect of AI and with disclosure-driven response differences, human review, transparency, second signals, and outcome-oriented measures are advocated.