Beyond Personalization: The Paradox of Trust, Consumer Autonomy and Engagement in AI-Driven Interactive Digital Media

Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed digital and interactive media by enabling personalized content, algorithmic recommendations and increasingly responsive consumer experiences. Although these developments offer opportunities to improve relevance, convenience and engagement, they also raise important questions concerning privacy, consumer autonomy and trust. Existing discussions frequently emphasize the benefits of personalization and the effectiveness of digital engagement, yet these perspectives may overlook the possibility that the same technological features that enhance consumer experiences can also generate perceptions of surveillance, manipulation and loss of control. This conceptual article examines the dual nature of AI-driven interactive digital media through an integration of the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, Privacy Calculus Theory and Psychological Reactance Theory. The article proposes a conceptual framework in which personalization, perceived interactivity and algorithmic transparency influence consumer responses through two interconnected pathways: a value-creation pathway associated with perceived relevance, trust and engagement, and a resistance pathway associated with privacy concerns, perceived manipulation and psychological reactance. Consumer autonomy is further considered as an important boundary condition shaping these relationships. The proposed framework contributes to digital marketing and interactive media scholarship by conceptualizing consumer engagement as a conditional outcome rather than an inherently positive consequence of technological sophistication. The article also offers implications for digital marketers, platform designers and policymakers seeking to develop more transparent, trustworthy and consumer-centred digital experiences.