AI & Society
AI-enabled marketing strategies are linked to greater adoption of sustainable practices among consumers in Gulf retail, a survey of 410 executives suggests
In a 2025 paper in Administrative Sciences, researchers at Middle East University and German Jordanian University surveyed 410 retail executives in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. They analyzed the survey with partial least squares structural equation modeling, a statistical method for examining relationships among variables. Their results connect AI-enabled marketing strategies with greater adoption of sustainable practices among consumers. The same analysis links AI-powered smart distribution channels with better supply chain efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and better logistics.
What practical uses did the paper describe?
The paper points to demand forecasting as a way to potentially reduce waste, personalized marketing as a way to promote sustainable products, and smart systems that reduce energy use. It describes these as ways retailers can match AI use to sustainability goals.
What concerns did the paper raise?
The paper says data privacy and algorithmic bias, meaning unfair outcomes built into automated decisions, remain valid concerns. The authors underline a need for ethics and transparency when retailers use AI this way.
FAQ
What is PLS-SEM?
Partial least squares structural equation modeling. It is a statistical method used to study relationships among variables in survey data.
Who took part in the survey?
A total of 410 retail executives in the Gulf Cooperation Council retail sector.
Does this study show that AI caused the improvements?
The abstract reports relationships from a survey, so it does not establish cause and effect.
Limits and what's next
The abstract describes one survey of 410 retail executives in the Gulf Cooperation Council retail sector, using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings come from that sample and setting, so the abstract does not support applying them to other regions or to consumers directly. The abstract also names data privacy and algorithmic bias as concerns that require ethics and transparency. This is one study, and the abstract reports no independent replication of the findings.
Source: Hanadi A. Salhab et al., “AI-Driven Sustainable Marketing in Gulf Cooperation Council Retail: Advancing SDGs Through Smart Channels,” Administrative Sciences, 2025.