Rethinking AI competencies: an anticipatory perspective on services marketing graduate employability

Purpose This study aims to examine how students anticipate artificial intelligence (AI) competencies for graduate employability in the services marketing context. Design/methodology/approach In the qualitative approach, the empirical material consists of two complementary data sources: marketing students’ reflective essays (n = 18) in which they articulate perceptions of their own AI competencies and their readiness for AI-driven work and transcripts of student interviews with services marketing practitioners (n = 19). Findings The findings show how practical, evaluative, transformative and ethical AI competencies are reflected by students and practitioners. Anticipation was reflected in how students envisioned their future AI-augmented work, identified competencies that may be required and considered their development accordingly. The findings highlight the relevance of an anticipatory perspective in AI competency development. Practical implications The authors provide practical implications for both services marketing management and higher services marketing education. Services marketing management should encourage practical AI use, provide sufficient training for evaluative AI competencies and foster an open and positive AI culture. Higher education curricula can use the AI competency framework to structure teaching and learning activities and support students’ anticipatory thinking to enhance graduate employability in services marketing contexts. Originality/value This study proposes an integrative AI competency framework comprising four interrelated components: practical, evaluative, transformative and ethical AI competencies, thereby specifying AI competencies relevant to services marketing. It further advances services marketing education and graduate employability discussions by introducing an anticipatory perspective that connects anticipated future competency needs with students’ present competency development.