displacement value theory: a conceptual framework for marketing higher education in the age of ai

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping marketing work (e.g. analytics, content development, segmentation, and customer engagement) and, in turn, student expectations about what a marketing degree should deliver. As generative tools proliferate, students increasingly evaluate programs as high-stakes investments that must retain value as tasks evolve. This paper introduces Displacement Value Theory (DVT) as a conceptual framework for marketing education in the AI era. DVT explains how exposure to automation narratives can trigger displacement anxiety and perceived skill obsolescence, shaping perceived educational value, return on investment (ROI), and students’ intentions to enroll and persist. Importantly, DVT allows for variability in outcomes: anxiety may become debilitating when students feel powerless, but it can also become motivating when institutions cultivate beliefs about human – AI complementarity and strengthen career self-efficacy. For marketing educators and program leaders, DVT reframes ROI as both financial and psychological – value must be communicated not only through outcomes (e.g. employment, salaries) but also through signals of adaptability, ethical judgment, and applied AI fluency that reflect how marketing practice is changing. The paper outlines propositions and a research agenda to guide future empirical testing and pedagogical decision-making in marketing education.