Designing a Digital Marketing Communications Model with a Perceived Humanism and Artificial Intelligence Approach and Its Role in the Intention to Use Mobile Banking (Case Study: Private Banks)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of management, Deh.C., Islamic Azad University., Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, University of Isfahan, Iran

3 Department of management, Deh.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan,Iran

10.22034/cbsj.2026.145371.2933

Abstract

Today, digital marketing has been considered as one of the most important communication strategies with customers in various sectors, especially in the banking industry. The present study aimed to present a digital marketing communication model based on perceived humanization of artificial intelligence and to investigate its role on the intention to use mobile banking among private banks in Iran. The research method was qualitative with an exploratory approach. The main objective of the study was to identify the indicators and components of the digital marketing communication model based on perceived humanization and artificial intelligence, as well as the intention to use mobile banking. In the qualitative part, by using content analysis with 16 digital banking experts in the headquarters of private banks in Tehran using semi-structured interviews, 17 components were identified in five main dimensions of humanization of artificial intelligence and six components of the intention to use mobile banking. . Based on the research findings, it can be stated that in the competitive Iranian banking market, the success of mobile banking no longer depends solely on technical efficiency, but also on the ability to create empathetic, respectful, competent, and enjoyable AI that is capable of creating lasting digital attachment. The results of this research provide a new strategy for Iranian banks in the era of relationship-oriented banking based on AI and pave the way for longitudinal and comparative research in the field of anthropomorphizing digital financial services.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Ansari, A., Shojaeian, P., & Arvaneh, M. (2023). The role of social media in altruistic and selfish motives on the purchase intention of consumers of green cosmetics. Journal of Business Strategies, 29(20), 147–170. https://doi.org/10.22070/CS.2023.17164.1272
Azzara, L. N., & Maika, M. R. (2025). Applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the mobile banking services industry: A bibliometric review. Ekspektra, 9(1), 33–46. https://doi.org/10.25139/ekt.v9i1.9527
Charles, V., Rana, N. P., & Jain, V. (2025). Marketing with anthropomorphised AI: Insights from consumers. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 42(4), 410–415. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-03-2025-7704
Dabiran, E., Farivar, S., Wang, F., & Grant, G. (2024). Virtually human: Anthropomorphism in virtual influencer marketing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 79, 103797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103797
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340.
Epley, N., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). On seeing human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism. Psychological Review, 114(4), 864–886. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.864
European Commission. (2019). Ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI. European Commission.
Hanafizadeh, P., Behboudi, M. R., Koshksaray, A. A., & Tabar, M. J. S. (2014). Mobile-banking adoption by Iranian bank clients. Telematics and Informatics, 31(1), 62–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2013.03.003
Hilal, A., & Varela-Neira, C. (2022). Understanding consumer adoption of mobile banking: Extending the UTAUT2 model with proactive personality. Sustainability, 14(22), 14708. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214708
Huang, M.-H., & Rust, R. T. (2022). A framework for collaborative artificial intelligence in marketing. Journal of Retailing, 98(2), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2021.03.001
Laban, G., & Araujo, T. (2023). “I am feeling you”: The formation of human–AI attachment bonds. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 171, 103002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2022.103002
Lee, Y., & Kim, S. H. (2025). Exploring dimensions of perceived anthropomorphism in conversational AI: Implications for human identity threat and dehumanization. Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, 5, 100192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbah.2025.100192
Li, M., & Suh, A. (2022). Anthropomorphism in AI-enabled technology: A literature review. Electronic Markets, 32(4), 2245–2275.
Lin, R.-R., & Lee, J.-C. (2024). The supports provided by artificial intelligence to continuous usage intention of mobile banking: Evidence from China. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 76(2), 293–310. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-07-2022-0337
Lin, R.-R., Zheng, Y., & Lee, J.-C. (2023). Artificial intelligence-based pre-implementation interventions in users’ continuance intention to use mobile banking. International Journal of Mobile Communications, 21(4), 518–540. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMC.2023.131165
Lissillour, R., & Sahut, J.-M. (2026). What future for AI chatbots in banking: From current challenges to mirages? Information Technology & People, 39(5), 2027–2062. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-01-2025-0008
Malhotra, G., & Ramalingam, M. (2025). Perceived anthropomorphism and purchase intention using artificial intelligence technology: Examining the moderated effect of trust. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 38(2), 401–423. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-09-2022-0316
Manser Payne, E. H., Peltier, J. W., & Barger, V. A. (2021). Enhancing the value co-creation process: Artificial intelligence and mobile banking service platforms. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 15(1), 68–85. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-10-2020-0214
Milana, C., & Ashta, A. (2021). Artificial intelligence techniques in finance and financial markets: A survey of the literature. Strategic Change, 30(3), 189–209. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsc.2403
Moussawi, S., Koufaris, M., & Benbunan-Fich, R. (2021). How perceptions of intelligence and anthropomorphism affect adoption of personal intelligent agents. Electronic Markets, 31(2), 343–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-020-00411-w
Nass, C., & Reeves, B. (1996). The media equation: How people treat computers, television, and new media like real people and places. Cambridge University Press.
Prentice, C., Lopes, S. D., & Wang, X. (2020). Emotional intelligence or artificial intelligence: An employee perspective. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 29(4), 377–403. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2019.1647124
Purington, A., Taft, J. G., Sannon, S., Bazarova, N. N., & Taylor, S. H. (2017). “Alexa is my new best friend”: Social roles and anthropomorphism in human-AI relationships. Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2845–2851. https://doi.org/10.1145/3027063.3053246
Roodsaz, H., Aslipour, H., Sargolzaei, M., & Shakiba, A. (2025). Developing universal banking based on digital governance. Governance and Development Journal, 5(1), 5–35. [In Persian]
Salles, A., Evers, K., & Farisco, M. (2020). Anthropomorphism in AI. AJOB Neuroscience, 11(2), 88–95.
Salimi, M., Zangi, N., & Hosseini, S. M. (2021). Factors affecting mobile banking adoption in Iran: Application of extended TAM model. Journal of Information Technology Management, 13(2), 123–145.
Shaikh, A. A., & Karjaluoto, H. (2015). Mobile banking adoption: A literature review. Telematics and Informatics, 32(1), 129–142.
Shankar, A., Datta, B., Jebarajakirthy, C., & Mukherjee, S. (2020). Exploring mobile banking service quality: A qualitative approach. Services Marketing Quarterly, 41(1), 182–204.
Sharma, S. K., Govindaluri, S. M., Al-Muharrami, S., & Tarhini, A. (2017). A multi-analytical model for mobile banking adoption: A developing country perspective. Review of International Business and Strategy, 27(1), 133–148.
Suhartanto, D., Syarief, M. E., Nugraha, A. C., Suhaeni, T., Masthura, A., & Amin, H. (2022). Millennial loyalty towards artificial intelligence-enabled mobile banking: Evidence from Indonesian Islamic banks. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 13(9), 1958–1972. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-12-2020-0380
Uysal, E., Alavi, S., & Bezençon, V. (2023). Anthropomorphism in artificial intelligence: A review of empirical work across domains and insights for future research. In Artificial Intelligence in Marketing (pp. 273–308). Emerald Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1548-643520230000020015
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478.
Yektanet. (2023). Yektanet’s narrative of Iranian digital marketing in 2023. [In Persian].
Zhu, X. (2018). Case II (Part A): JIMI’s growth path: Artificial intelligence has redefined the customer service of JD.com. In X. Zhu (Ed.), Emerging Champions in the Digital Economy (pp. 91–103). Springer.