The mediation role played by AI adoption in the relationship between information processing requirements and marketing performance

Purpose The purpose of this article is to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) Adoption mediates the relationship between organizational information processing requirements (IPR) and marketing performance (MP). Design/methodology/approach Depending on 5-point Likert scale, a quantitative data set was collected from 148 Egyptian managers in B2B context. To obtain our results, the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) path modeling with SmartPLS 4 software. Findings Statistical analysis revealed that AI adoption acts as a full mediator in IPR–MP relationship. IPR drives AI adoption, which in turn drives MP. The direct IPR-MP path was nonsignificant, confirming that the effect of IPR on MP is realized only through AI adoption. Research limitations/implications This research contributes to marketing performance and technology adoption by integrating the information processing theory within the underresearched Egyptian B2B context. Practical implications AI adoption is a necessary strategic mandate for B2B managers. Organizations must prioritize dedicated investment in AI solutions and utilize their information processing capabilities to enhance marketing performance, irrespective of firm size or industry. Originality/value This study advances the information processing theory by empirically establishing AI adoption as the crucial information processing capabilities mechanism that translates escalating environmental information processing requirements into superior firm marketing performance in an underresearched context.