The role of artificial intelligence in advertising: A research on advertising professionals perceptions of artificial intelligence

With the integration of technologies and the innovative solutions they bring into human life, there has been an extraordinary increase in the amount of data. Individuals constantly consume data in their daily lives, and the need for advanced technologies that can process this data quickly and efficiently is growing by the day. This situation necessitates a transformation in existing systems. At the core of this transformation today are artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which are positioned at the heart of technological advancement. AI technologies, which have become an indispensable part of both social and individual life, are leading to profound changes in almost every area, from daily routines to the business world. As a result of this transformation, AI-supported applications are increasingly being used in advertising to enhance efficiency. In this context, understanding how AI is perceived in advertising agencies and in which areas and tasks it is used becomes significant. This thesis aims to identify the areas of use of AI applications in public relations, the tasks that can be carried out with these applications, as well as the effects, limitations, and challenges arising from the use of AI, and to determine its potential usage areas in advertising. To achieve this goal, in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 38 participants from 13 advertising agencies 28 agency professionals and 10 agency executives and these interviews were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The research carried out within the scope of this study reveals that AI applications are actively used in core agency functions such as copywriting and editing, design, content creation for social media, target audience identification, strategy development, and brand communication. Overall, it is observed that AI technologies are positively received by agency professionals and executives and are regarded as supportive assistant tools that aid in carrying out tasks. However, it is concluded that tasks should not be entirely delegated to AI, and that human supervision and guidance are essential. In addition, the fact that legal regulations are not yet clearly defined leads to a cautious approach toward AI usage; thus, the need to establish ethical and legal boundaries emerges as a necessity. Despite all these limitations, it can be said that AI offers significant contributions to the field of advertising, especially in terms of speed and efficiency.