The Role of Generative AI in Content Marketing: Opportunities, Risks, and Governance

Abstract

This article examines how generative artificial intelligence is transforming contemporary content marketing through a systematic review of peer reviewed journal studies on opportunities, risks, and governance. The review shows that generative systems extend existing data driven personalization, predictive analytics, and interactive communication by enabling scalable creation and adaptation of text, image, audio, and video content across the customer journey. When aligned with clear brand narratives and robust customer insights, these capabilities deepen engagement, enhance responsiveness to dynamic market signals, and improve the efficiency of ideation, copywriting, visual design, and localization. However, the analysis also reveals substantial ethical and governance challenges related to privacy, opacity, bias, manipulation, and the erosion of brand authenticity and consumer trust. Generative tools make it easier to blur boundaries between authentic and synthetic communication and to propagate misleading content at scale. The study proposes that organizations embed generative artificial intelligence within explicit governance architectures that combine transparent data management, human oversight, and clear disclosure practices, providing a foundation for more responsible and sustainable marketing content strategies.