PhD in Artificial Intelligence vs. Human-Composed Music in Advertising: Exploring Consumer Responses, Brand Perceptions, and the Future of Creative Authenticity The Open University in United Kingdom

This PhD project at The Open University explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated versus human-composed music in advertising, focusing on how these different music sources shape consumer responses, brand perceptions, and the broader concept of creative authenticity. Music has always played a pivotal role in advertising, influencing emotions, brand recall, and purchase behaviour. While traditional advertising music relies on human composers, recent advances in AI have enabled brands to use AI-generated music, which is cost-effective, scalable, and customizable. However, this technological shift raises questions about authenticity, creativity, and emotional impact, with critics arguing that AI-generated music may lack the depth and nuance of human composition.

Despite the growing use of AI in creative industries, there is limited empirical research on its effects in advertising contexts. This project aims to fill that gap by investigating how consumers cognitively and emotionally distinguish between AI-generated and human-composed music in advertisements, how music familiarity and creator recognition affect advertising effectiveness, and how AI-generated music influences perceptions of brand authenticity, ethicality, and trust. The research will also examine the role of transparency and disclosure, as brands face increasing regulatory and ethical pressures to reveal the use of AI in advertising.

The project will explore whether such disclosures enhance trust or undermine perceived authenticity and quality. The findings will have significant theoretical and practical implications, extending the literature on sensory marketing and advertising, informing debates on AI transparency, and providing evidence-based guidance for marketers, agencies, and regulators. The project is supervised by Dr Morteza Abolhasani, an expert in consumer behaviour and sensory marketing, and Dr Yue Meng-Lewis, a specialist in digital marketing and media communication.

The position is available for campus-based study only within the Faculty of Business and Law. Applicants are encouraged to propose research ideas within the broad topic, with particular interests in consumer responses to AI music, ethical concerns, cultural representation, and the effects of transparency. The project offers an opportunity to contribute to a timely and underexplored area at the intersection of AI, advertising, and consumer behaviour, as AI continues to reshape the creative industries.