Comparing the Challenges of Implementing Artificial Intelligence in the Marketing Technology Markets: Russia vs. China

At present, the structure and dynamics of the marketing technology (MarTech) market are shaped by the development of artificial intelligence (AI). This paper is the first to present a cross-country comparison of MarTech markets. It aims to identify experiences in AI implementation, determine prospects for market development and show that the adoption of AI in corporate marketing varies among user segments... As this approach has not been discussed in Russian scholarly literature, the segmentation is carried out using evidence from participants in the Russian MarTech market. The article includes a literature review, a comparison of the Chinese and Russian MarTech markets, an analysis of user segments, and an investigation of AI adoption in corporate marketing. The literature section is organized according to the impact of AI on marketing technologies within different market segments. The comparison of marketing technologies markets is based on the analysis of search queries by internet users in Russia and China, across different product segments of MarTech. The data for Russia were obtained using the Yandex Wordstat service, while the data for China were collected from the Baidu search engine and the 5118 platform. To identify user segments with different AI adoption processes in marketing, a survey was conducted from September to November 2025, involving 407 Russian companies that use marketing services. The hypothesis that the Chinese and Russian MarTech markets have different structures, reflecting distinct AI technology adoption trajectories, is confirmed. The hypothesis that user segments with varying needs for AI adoption in marketing can be identified is also supported. Using the Russian market as an example, it has been shown that there are three user segments in which AI adoption processes differ. A pioneering comparison of the two countries’ market structures was conducted using an accepted international practice segmentation methodology. Evidence from the Russian market shows that the process of adopting AI in corporate marketing depends on company size and prior AI experience. The findings presented here are significant and original from theoretical and practical perspectives.