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Alongside communication professor Ruonan Zhang, social entrepreneurship majors—and sisters—Emma Salerno ’27 and Kate Salerno ’27 published their first academic journal article titled “Is It Created by AI?: An Experimental Investigation of Viewers’ Differentiation and Perceived Effectiveness of AI in Promoting a Nonprofit Cause” in the the 5:2 (2025) issue of Journal of Marketing Innovation.

During summer 2024, the trio conducted research on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media content and digital marketing. The goal of their research was to understand if AI or human-generated images and texts are more effective. Both students chose to participate because they were interested in learning about AI in modern workplaces and industries.

“This research ties into our major because social enterprises are going to continue integrating AI into their business models,” says Emma. “My professors in the social entrepreneurship department often encourage me to think critically about the strengths and limitations of various business models, and this research allowed me to continue to hone my critical-thinking skills and understand the strengths and limitations of integrating AI into the marketing component of a business plan.”

“This experience has allowed me to better understand the capabilities of AI and where there is still a need for people to have certain jobs instead of solely relying on AI,” says Emma.

An open-access, double-blind peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Marketing Innovation publishes pioneering research at the intersection of marketing theory, practice, and technology.

• Social Entrepreneurship |
• Highlights |
• Ruonan Zhang