AI:ming high : Swedish tech startups implementation of AI in marketing

Sammanfattning

In recent years the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed marketing strategies, especially in the world of startups. This thesis explores and analyses the utilisation of AI within these startups, focusing on its application across various marketing stages within growth hacking marketing; acquisition, activision, retention, revenue and referral. Through qualitative research by semi-structured interviews with representatives from 11 Swedish tech startups, this study presents the current state of AI in the startup marketing sector, the opportunities it presents, and the challenges it faces. The results indicate that while AI facilitates enhanced creativity and efficiency in marketing tasks through automation and content creation, its integration is still in its early stages, with trust and ethical considerations presenting a significant obstacle. The thesis uncovers a high level of anticipation for AI's capabilities to revolutionise marketing roles, suggesting a shift from traditional methods to data-driven strategies. Despite this, actual implementation remains limited. By analysing current applications and projecting future trends, this research intends to contribute with valuable insights to the evolving relationship between AI and marketing, emphasising the need for further development and integration to fully exploit AI's potential in the competitive landscape of tech startups.