Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is essential in transforming ideas into solutions. AI technologies promise to improve practitioners' lives by enhancing effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. However, their use can be challenging. The geographical expansion and usage of AI tools in multiple industries confirm that companies are inclined towards using AI tools. The UK market is no exception; it is a central hub for marketing and advertising activities, and the inclination towards exploring AI tools is evident in its substantial usage in UK firms. Thus, this study aims to explore how AI contributes to organizations' success, barriers faced by professionals when adopting AI and darker side and ethical implications of AI adoption. This qualitative exploratory study involves semi-structured interviews with eight UK-based marketers and advertising professionals. The eight participants were carefully selected using purposive sampling to ensure they had extensive experience and relevant expertise in marketing and advertising practices, particularly in AI adoption. The diversity of participants, representing various aspects of the industry, was instrumental in providing a comprehensive and inclusive view of the subject matter. Thematic analysis, a process of identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns within data, was used to identify themes and patterns. The study findings revealed that, AI usage enable improvements through its usage, including increased speed, efficiency, productivity, and reduced time spent on less interesting and monotonous tasks. In contrast, the key barriers include not knowing how to use the technology, feeling overburdened, and lacking opportunities for training or time to self-teach. There were also considerable fears about AI reducing workload to the extent that fewer marketers would need to be employed. Moreover, AI reduces roles and saves employment costs. Additionally, there are concerns about thinking AI becoming the norm and infiltrating existing company systems negatively or reducing the need for human intervention. The findings of this study offer significant implications for marketing and advertising professionals integrating AI into their day-to-day operations. Adopting AI-driven tools demonstrates their ability to enhance efficiency and workflow automation and provide deeper insights, enabling professionals to focus on strategic decision-making. By embracing AI strategically, marketing and advertising firms can leverage its potential while ensuring sustainable employment practices, fostering innovation, and maintaining ethical standards. A thoughtful and structured approach to AI adoption will enable firms to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape while safeguarding human expertise.