Beyond AI Adoption: Developing Critical AI Literacy in Marketing Education

Abstract

This study examines a structured AI-supported instructional model in an undergraduate marketing and e-commerce course aimed at developing students’ critical AI literacy and evaluative judgment. Over three semesters, students completed four assignments in which they generated AI-produced memoranda, compared them with expert presentations, identified strengths and limitations, and reflected on credibility and educational value. Anonymous questionnaire data from 61 of 66 students (90.9% response rate) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis. Results were positive: 63.9% reported a favorable overall experience, 73.8% said AI supported their learning, and 72.1% said the approach improved their ability to critically evaluate AI-generated information. Students found AI useful for idea generation, organization, and concept development, but stressed the need to verify outputs against authoritative sources. Despite limitations, the findings suggest this model can support learning while encouraging critical engagement with AI.