AI-powered personalized advertising tools direct users to commercial content that is predicted to appeal to them, enhancing efficiencies on different levels for both consumers and advertisers. However, it raises serious ethical concerns around autonomy, privacy and psychological well-being. These systems analyze user behavior and emotional states to influence perception and decision-making in ways that are often hidden and hard to challenge. This brief examines the ways in which algorithmic targeting can compromise informed choice, reinforce emotional distress and reduce mental agency through persuasive design. It offers a critical reflection on how such systems should be restructured to uphold ethical principles and protect users’ psychological and moral integrity.
