Balancing AI-Driven Cross-Border Personalized Marketing with Data Privacy Regulations

Abstract

This paper aims to systematically examine and analyze the multidimensional interplay between AI-enabled cross-border personalized marketing and global data privacy regulations. The paper first clarifies the core theoretical implications of the “personalization-privacy paradox.” Drawing on authoritative academic research in both Chinese and English, it outlines the research landscape in this field across three interrelated dimensions: First, the technological ethics dimension and consumer behavioral responses, summarizing the transformative role of AI technology in reshaping marketing models, as well as the resulting ethical controversies—such as algorithmic transparency and excessive data collection—and the diverse psychological and behavioral manifestations of consumers; Second, the regulatory implementation and corporate strategic adaptation dimension, which analyzes the compliance pressures brought about by the GDPR-centered regulatory framework, as well as the strategic shift of enterprises from passive compliance to active adaptation, ultimately transforming privacy protection into a competitive advantage; third, the global contextual differences and localization practice dimension, which compares the prominent differences among regional markets in terms of regulatory environments, cultural perceptions, and corporate localization strategies. Existing research indicates that exploration in this field has shifted from the initial identification of contradictions to an in-depth examination of multi-dimensional balancing mechanisms. Finally, this paper identifies the limitations of current research in terms of dynamic analytical perspectives, in-depth exploration of cross-cultural theories, and coverage of small and medium-sized entities, and proposes feasible directions for future research.