Exploring Student Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Microfinance Marketing Systems: Impacts, Benefits, and Adoption Challenges

Abstract

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is progressively transforming marketing in various ways, such as offering more sophisticated analytics, personalization, and automated decision-making, as well as changing the design and execution of marketing activities. The results of this study are based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) where students were asked to share their perceptions toward AI in marketing regarding AI knowledge, perceived benefits, perceived effects on marketing, perceived challenges, and willingness to adopt AI tools. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was applied in conducting the survey using survey data of 766 students in business-related programs and analyzed with statistical methodology (descriptive and inferential statistics). The results reveal that students have a moderate to high level of AI understanding and that they suggest AI as extremely productive in terms of efficiency, easing marketing activities, and marketing productivity. All these perceptions are closely linked to the willingness of students to use AI tools, and the main argument of TAM suggests that perceptions of usefulness and familiarity are the predictors of behavioral intention. Simultaneously, ethical and practical issues, especially in the area of data privacy, transparency, and misinformation, are apparent, indicating that the perceived risk is related to a positive intention to adopt. Significant variation was noted in demographic and experience groups, and the history of AI experience became a strong predictor of all constructs. The combination of enabling and limiting factors into a single TAM-based framework makes it possible to use this study to expand the AI adoption theory in marketing and emphasize the necessity to develop ethical aspects as part of models of technology acceptance in the context of educational and professional marketing.