Objective: In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force across various sectors, with digital marketing being one of its primary beneficiaries. As AI continues to advance and becomes increasingly integrated into digital marketing, digital businesses have experienced significant progress. The incorporation of AI into digital marketing has revolutionized the way businesses interact with consumers, enabling hyper-personalization and improved decision-making. However, recent studies indicate that these advancements may heighten privacy concerns among users, presenting new ethical challenges. Such concerns arise not only from the rapid pace of technological evolution but also from the potential unethical use of user data. Consequently, the ethical implications of AI-based digital marketing practices require thorough examination to ensure that user privacy is ethically respected and safeguarded. As AI becomes embedded in society, the emphasis on ethical considerations intensifies, making it crucial to address ethical concerns and ensure responsible development. Therefore, the deployment of AI should be approached with caution, ethical mindfulness, and a deep understanding of the technology. The aim of this research is to identify the factors influencing ethical considerations in AI-based digital marketing, addressing the question: What factors affect ethical considerations in AI-based digital marketing?

Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative approach, employing thematic analysis to identify factors affecting ethical considerations in AI-based digital marketing. The research is applied in nature and, in terms of data collection, falls under descriptive studies. The study population comprises experts from the mobile communications industry and digital marketing managers. Research data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was conducted in two stages—open coding and axial coding—using Atlas.ti software.

Findings :Research sub-codes that indicate factors affecting ethical considerations in AI-based digital marketing were extracted in the study. The open coding process led to the identification of an extensive set of 90 codes that indicated the diversity and multidimensionality of ethical considerations related to the use of AI in digital marketing. Considering the closeness of the meanings and concepts of the sub-codes, 7 core codes were determined and defined. In the final stage of coding, based on the analyses conducted, three key dimensions were identified as the main pillars of the research framework, including 1) privacy protection, 2) technological governance, and 3) informed user choice. Finally, a model for identifying factors affecting ethical considerations in digital marketing based on artificial intelligence was presented.

Conclusion: In this study, privacy protection, technological governance, and informed user choice were identified as the main factors affecting ethical considerations in AI-based digital marketing. . Overall, the results of this study show that achieving ethical digital marketing requires cooperation and synergy between technology developers, policymakers, regulatory agencies, and users. The results of this research can help marketing managers and policymakers develop more effective strategies for using AI in digital marketing that, in addition to increasing efficiency, also adhere to ethical principles.