Journal of Complex Adaptive Systems

Journal of Complex Adaptive Systems

Exploring Consumers' Emotional and Moral Reactions to Greenwashing in AI-Generated Advertising Systems

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Department of Commerce, Faculty of Commerce and Trade, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Objective: This study examines how authoritative institutional documents portray consumer emotional and moral reactions to greenwashing in AI-generated advertising systems, addressing a critical gap as generative AI increasingly mediates sustainability communication.
Methods: A qualitative document analysis approach with thematic analysis was employed. Fifteen reports and policy documents published between 2021 and 2026 by authoritative international organizations—including the European Union, UNESCO, the OECD, and the World Economic Forum—were systematically analyzed. The coding process yielded 312 initial codes, subsequently organized into 68 basic themes, 20 organizing themes, and 5 global themes.
Results: The analyzed documents consistently frame consumer responses as a sequential cognitive–affective–behavioral process, conceptualized as the SMART framework: Skepticism, Moral Emotions, Attribution of Responsibility, Reputation Damage, and Trust Collapse and Behavioral Withdrawal. Consumer reactions are portrayed as originating from the detection of vague, exaggerated, or insufficiently substantiated environmental claims, subsequently intensified by AI disclosure cues perceived as misleading or manipulative. Brands are depicted as the primary locus of responsibility attribution, while AI is framed as a facilitating tool rather than an accountable moral actor—thereby complicating accountability structures. These dynamics are associated with diminished authenticity perceptions, purchase avoidance, negative word-of-mouth, and heightened demand for regulatory intervention.
Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature by proposing the integrated SMART framework and illuminating the critical interplay between AI disclosure, greenwashing perceptions, and consumer trust in sustainability communication, offering a foundational theoretical model for future empirical investigations.
Keywords

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