ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND BUSINESS PRACTICES: INSIGHTS FROM MARKETING FIRMS IN OWERRI

Abstract

The study assesses how artificial intelligence (AI) influences business
practices of marketing firms in Owerri. Key areas which the study examines include the
connection between AI and reduction of human error in financial data analysis; AI and
decision making, business process automation and customer engagement. The research
adopts the survey research design. The study uses primary sources of data. The study uses a
structured questionnaire as the major instrument for data collection. The study adopts the
purposive sampling technique. Cronbach Alpha statistic was used to obtain a value of 0.88 as
the instrument reliability ratio. The research employs descriptive and inferential statistics for
data analysis. The findings revealed a positive and significant level of correlation between
artificial intelligence (AI) and reduction in human error in the financial data analysis of
marketing firms in Owerri; artificial intelligence (AI) and enhanced decision making of
marketing firms in Owerri; artificial intelligence (AI) and automation of business processes
of marketing firms in Owerri; artificial intelligence (AI) and improved customer engagement
of marketing firms in Owerri. The study concludes that artificial intelligence (AI)
significantly correlates with the business practices of marketing firms in Owerri. The study
recommends among others that management should always ensure that those who are directly
involved in using artificial intelligence (AI) in solving business problems are periodically
trained and retrained to always ensure that the reduction in human error in financial data
analysis in the enterprises continues to improve; marketing firms need to always make good
use of artificial intelligence (AI) in making those decisions that have the capacity to add
value to the quality of decision making in organizations and to overall corporate wellbeing.