Reflections on the 4th Marketing, Innovation, and Digital Transformation Conference: Technology Paradox and Consumer Wellbeing
On 16 June 2025, St James’ View at Newcastle University Business School buzzed with energy as scholars, practitioners, and students gathered for the 4th Marketing, Innovation, and Digital Transformation Conference initiated and organised by Dr Qionglei Yu from the Marketing subject group. This year’s theme, “Technology Paradox and Consumer Wellbeing,” invited participants to reflect critically on how emerging technologies particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are shaping the future of marketing, business models, and consumer lives.
Organised in collaboration with the Centre for Consumers and Sustainable Consumption at Durham University Business School, the one-day event brought together diverse voices from across disciplines and continents. While the promise of AI and robotics was celebrated, so too were the complexities: the tension between personalisation and privacy, convenience and human connection, innovation and disruption.
The day opened with a warm welcome from Professor Natalia Yannopoulou, Research, Innovation and Impact Lead for the Marketing Subject Group at Newcastle, and Professor Zhibin Lin, Co-Director of the Centre for Consumers and Sustainable Consumption at Durham. Their remarks set the stage for what would become a deeply engaging and interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.
A trio of compelling keynote talks anchored the morning session. Professor Markus Blut spoke on the transformation of marketing and sales through Generative AI, offering both exciting possibilities and sobering considerations. Dr Jan Breitsohl explored the darker side of digital engagement, examining how hate on social media impacts brand management and consumer wellbeing. Dr Chrysostomos Apostolidis led an emotionally resonant discussion of the “uncanny valley” that eerie psychological space where human-like AI just misses the mark, leaving consumers unsettled.
Adding an industry dimension, Eric Guo, CEO of SPARK Epos, shared a candid look at how robotics are being integrated into hospitality settings. His insights from robotic systems to AI-driven service experiences highlighted both the excitement and friction points of real-world digital transformation.
The vibrancy of the day continued across four parallel sessions featuring 22 presentations. Topics ranged from digital capabilities during global disruption, to consumer trust in algorithmic decision-making, and the emotional impact of human-AI interaction. These sessions didn’t just showcase academic research. They sparked meaningful conversation among attendees from fields as varied as marketing, computing, psychology, and ethics.
The conference welcomed 85 participants in total, including 45 in-person and 40 online attendees from universities and organisations around the globe. Institutions represented
included the University of Glasgow, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University HSBC Business School, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jagran Lakecity University, University of Essex, and many others.
More than just a programme of research presentations, the event became a space for reflection: on the direction of marketing research, on the role of ethics in innovation, and on what it means to serve consumers in a world increasingly mediated by technology. Conversations spilled into the breaks, over coffee and lunch, and onto social media afterward, demonstrating that the event struck a chord.
As the day came to a close, participants left with new ideas, new collaborations, and renewed questions. How do we design AI that respects privacy? How can robots support emotional wellbeing rather than isolate us further? What does a truly human-centred digital transformation look like?
These are questions that will continue to shape research, teaching, and practice. Attendees are eagerly expressed their passion to revisit at future editions of the conference.