Desk Report: Dhaka has emerged as a meeting point for global marketing leaders, academics and industry experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform marketing while preserving human creativity, ethics and consumer trust.

The two-day World Marketing Forum (WMF) 6.0, held recently at BRAC University, brought together prominent international and local professionals under the theme “Artificial Intelligence in Marketing: Human + Tech”.

Presented by Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC and powered by ACI Motors Limited, the sixth edition of the international forum was convened by the World Marketing Council (WMC) and co-hosted by Bangladesh Brand Forum in partnership with BRAC University and BRAC Business School.

The discussions focused on a critical question: how can businesses benefit from rapidly advancing AI without losing the human values that make marketing meaningful?

Professor Philip Kotler, renowned American marketing scholar and author, delivered the opening keynote virtually, highlighting AI`s potential to improve business efficiency, understand customer needs, identify market opportunities and forecast sales and profits.

However, he cautioned businesses against excessive dependence on technology, stressing that human creativity, supervision and judgment must remain central to marketing decisions. He also called for closer cooperation between marketing and finance teams to ensure that AI investments deliver measurable business benefits.

Hermawan Kartajaya, co-founder of the World Marketing Forum and founder of the Asia Marketing Federation, emphasised that technology must work alongside human values, creativity, trust and social responsibility. He urged businesses to move beyond conventional competition by creating new products, experiences and markets while generating positive social and environmental impacts.

Other international speakers included Tara Yoon of Google, Eric Ku of Itrain Asia, Dr Dan Visitchaichan of Thailand, Helen McIntee-Carlisle of the African Marketing Confederation and Ralf Strauss of the European Marketing Confederation.

Bangladeshi experts, including Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, and Dr A. K. Enamul Haque, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), also shared their insights.

The forum featured 10 keynote sessions, two case studies and two panel discussions. Key discussions examined how affordable AI tools could help small and medium enterprises compete with larger businesses and how universities and industries could jointly develop practical solutions.

A major outcome was the adoption of the Dhaka Declaration, titled “Marketing for Global Good: Y2030 & Beyond”. Jointly endorsed by the World Marketing Council and the marketing federations of Asia, Africa and Europe, it reflects a shared commitment across 54 countries to responsible and socially beneficial marketing.

The forum concluded with a strong message that AI should complement, not replace, human intelligence. Experts agreed that the future of marketing will depend on balancing technological innovation with ethics, creativity, accountability and public trust.

Organised by Bangladesh Brand Forum, WMF 6.0 was supported by PRAN and several national and international organisations.