Prelims

Navigating Data Science in the Age of AI

ADVANCES IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND DATA-DRIVEN BUSINESS PRACTICES

Series Editor: Nripendra Singh – Pennsylvania Western University, USA

Digital technology in marketing is dynamic and continually evolving, providing marketers with innovative tools and strategies to connect with audiences in an increasingly digital-centric world. Adopting and adapting to these technologies is essential for staying competitive and effectively reaching target audiences. Businesses that leverage digital marketing effectively are better positioned to connect with their audience, drive business growth, and stay competitive in the digital age. Beyond the technical and ethical, Advances in Digital Technology and Data-Driven Business Practices exhibits real-world applications of digital marketing and data-driven practices. Through compelling case studies, it demonstrates its efficacy in areas such as market research, competitor scrutiny, and gleaning customer insights, traversing various channels, encompassing the likes of social media, e-commerce, and email marketing.

Forthcoming volumes:

• Navigating Data Science: Unleashing the Creative Potential of Artificial Intelligence

  Edited by: Babita Singla, Kumar Shalender and Nripendra Singh

• Unveiling Bleisure Travelers: Exploring Novel Dimensions for Enriching Social Consumer Engagement Using Big Data Analytics

  Edited by: Pooja Kansra, Tanveer Kajla and Nripendra Singh

• Digital Transformation of the Business World: A Managerial Perspective

  Edited by: Madhu Josala and Nripendra Singh

• Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence for Operational Excellence in Healthcare

  Edited by: Anand Jaiswal, Vinaytosh Mishra and Nripendra Singh

• Data-driven Decisions: Leveraging Insights for Winning Marketing Strategies

  Edited by: S. L. Gupta, Niket Mehta, Jitendra Singh Rathore, Piali Haldar and Nripendra Singh

• Destination Data: Charting the Course for Transformative Travel Experiences

  Edited by: Gautam Shandilya, Nripendra Singh, Praveen Srivastava and Niraj Mishra

• The Data-driven World of Academic Publications: Citations, Indexing and Impact Factors

  Edited by: Tanuj Singh, Shakhil Ahmad and Nripendra Singh

• Mindful Unplugging: The Power of Digital Detox Retreats

  Edited by: Tanusree Chakraborty and Nripendra Singh

• Immersive Wellness: Journey Beyond the Senses

  Edited by: Tanusree Chakraborty and Nripendra Singh

• Generative Creations: Harnessing AI for Advertising, Design, and Marketing

  Edited by: Robert J. Thompson, Nripendra Singh and Heather Morgan

Navigating Data Science in the Age of AI: Exploring Possibilities of Generative Intelligence

EDITED BY

BABITA SINGLA

Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Punjab, India

KUMAR SHALENDER

Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Punjab, India

AND

NRIPENDRA SINGH

Pennsylvania Western University, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL.

First edition 2025

Editorial Matter and Selection © 2025 Babita Singla, Kumar Shalender and Nripendra Singh.

Individual chapters © 2025 The authors.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

Reprints and permissions service

Contact: www.copyright.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83608-433-4 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83608-432-7 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83608-434-1 (Epub)

Babita Singla is a Professor at Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Punjab, India. She has a Ph.D. in Management and is UGC-NET qualified. She has over 14 years of experience in teaching, research and administration. Her areas of expertise are marketing, e-commerce, omnichannel and retail. In her career, she has been involved in important academic and research assignments such as Guest Editor of a reputed journal, organising and conducting international- and national-level conferences, faculty development programmes, and a guide for the research projects along her teaching. Her overall research-oriented mindset, rich knowledge and dedication towards her responsibilities have awarded her with the most prestigious ‘Teaching Excellence Award’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’. She has more than 70 research publications in reputable international and national journals including 42 indexed in Scopus, Web of Science and SCI and presented research papers at various national and international conferences. In the short span of her career in academia and administration, she has authored and edited several books on retail, supply chain, branding, customer relationship management and product management; covering the course content of various universities nationwide with reputed publication houses including Taylor & Francis, Springer, Emerald and IGI Global among others. She is a lifetime member of various organisations of national and international repute. She has successfully delivered guest sessions at international universities and national universities. Other notable achievements are registered Copyrights and Patents in her name.

Kumar Shalender (Post Doctorate, Ph.D.) holds expertise in the fields of strategic marketing, leadership change and technology management. He is an Associate Professor at Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, Punjab, and has been involved in devising corporate strategy, business models and sustainability ecosystems. He has more than 80 publications to his credit including 49 papers in highly reputed Scopus-indexed journals, international and national conferences, seminars and symposiums. He also holds authority on solving intricacies of design thinking, innovation culture, collaborative practices and team dynamics. He is associated with leading publications in the sustainability space and is having regular interactions with professionals on developing sustainable ecosystems across industries in the country.

Nripendra Singh is a tenured Full Professor of Marketing in the Department of Business, Economics and Communication, College of Science, Technology, and Business at the Pennsylvania Western University. He is recipient of Fulbright scholarship, a flagship programme of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. He completed Fulbright research at The Pennsylvania State University. As Visiting Research Scholar, he visited renowned institutions such as University of California at Berkley, CA, and Technology University, NJ. He is a Postdoc Fellow of the Global Institute of Flexible Systems & Technology and ‘Campus-2-Capitol Fellow’ of Bard College, NY. He earned two doctorate degrees and two MBA degrees. As a certified professional, he completed Preparing Future Faculty programme at the Iowa State University. He is an avid researcher and is on the editorial board and reviewers committee of several reputed journals. He has published and presented more than 100 research articles in reputed journals and conferences. He is the President and Director of ‘International Association of Technology and Management’, a nonprofit to promote research, and ‘Clarion Consulting Center’ to provide consulting services to businesses and help students get real-world projects. He mentors and advises young faculty members, research scholars and undergrad students globally.

Akash R. is currently a fulltime Ph.D. scholar enrolled in the collaborative Ph.D. programme offered by the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India. With a robust academic background and a fervent commitment to advancing research in human resources management, he has made substantial contributions to the field. His dedication is evident through his publication of numerous research papers and presentations at both international conferences and national seminars. He has authored several articles published in esteemed international peer-reviewed journals and has contributed chapters to various scholarly books. Actively engaging in Capacity Building Programmes (CBPs) and Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs), he demonstrates a relentless pursuit of learning and professional growth. His aspiration to drive positive change in the tourism industry and academia underscores his commitment to excellence.

Anjali is an Assistant Professor at Chandigarh School of Business, Jhanjeri. Her educational qualifications include M.Com., B.Com. (Hons.) and pursuing Ph.D. in Finance. She has publications related to finance, human resources and sustainability in various research journals. She has also participated in numerous FDPs, workshops, national and international conferences.

Ishan Bansal holds the Bachelor degree in Computer Science Engineering from Chitkara University. He is passionate about economics, finance as well as researching about and working on emerging technologies and potential to apply them in the financial sector; he is working towards a postgraduate degree to specialise and gain further knowledge to pursue his aim to contribute in the fintech space in the future.

S. Catherine, Ph.D., has 16 years of experience as Associate Professor in Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai. Her research interests include consumer behaviour in digital commerce, mass customisation and fashion technology and published 11 articles indexed in Scopus and 20 articles in reputed other journals.

Richa Chandi is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at DIHE, Greater Noida. She has a total experience of more than seven years of teaching Journalism and Mass Communication and has been associated with different colleges since 2015. She has worked earlier as Assistant Professor in Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University, Noida. Her expertise is in research, advertising and PR and social media. She has done research on various issues ranging from the role of communication in elections, the use of social media and film, communication strategies and has presented that on various national and international conferences.

Hiranya Dissanayake is a Senior Lecturer at the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, with over a decade of experience in academia. She is currently reading her Ph.D. in Management (Finance) at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Her academic background includes a B.Com. degree with Second-Class Honours from the University of Colombo and an M.Sc. in Applied Finance from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. She is a CIMA (UK) finalist. Her research interests focus on corporate governance, corporate sustainability, bibliometric analysis and corporate spirituality. She has published extensively in academic journals and has received several awards for her research contributions, including the outstanding contribution in Sri Lanka CIMA Research Excellence Awards in 2022 and the Best Research Presentation Award at NLDICM-2023. She has experience as a Head of the Department of Accountancy and has served as a Visiting Lecturer at multiple institutions. She is also an active research supervisor and workshop conductor, with expertise in bibliometric analysis and data analysis using SPSS, EVIEWS and SMART PLS.

Gifty Gupta, Assistant Professor at Chitkara University, Punjab, has attained her doctorate degree from M.M. Deemed to be University, Haryana. Her both M.Tech. (CSE) (from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra) and B.Tech. (IT) (from Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra) degrees are with distinction. She has 15 publications in renowned international journals and fully refereed international conferences with the experience of more than eight years. Her main areas of research include cloud computing and machine learning.

Anuradha Iddagoda is a Senior Lecturer of the Management Science Unit, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. She also served as a Guest Lecturer in the University of Rzeszów Poland in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024. She also served as a Guest Researcher in the Gothenburg University Sweden. She is also a Visiting Lecturer in Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka. She is a Ph.D. holder from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka. She does research in Human Resources. Her current project is Green Employee Engagement. She also completed an MBA in Human Resource Management at PIM – University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Master of Information Technology and the Bachelor of Information Technology degree from Charles Sturt University, Australia.

Thiruni Jayalath is a Lecturer (Temporary) at Wayamba University of Sri Lanka and is pursuing an MBA in Accounting Information Management at the University of Colombo. She holds a B.Sc. Special Degree in Accountancy and Business Finance with First-Class Honours from Wayamba University, where she was awarded two gold medals as the most outstanding student of the Department of Accountancy. Alongside her academic roles, she is serving as a Visiting Lecturer and is working towards completing her ACCA qualification. Her research interests include contemporary issues in financial accounting, artificial intelligence and forensic accounting. She is actively engaged in research papers and applied research projects to prepare for a future academic career.

K. Kalaiselvi has 20 years of experience in academics and industry. She has technical expertise in cyber security and has numerous publications in the area of cryptography and IoT. She holds several patents and published many books with reputed publishers. She is currently serving as an Associate Professor at Kristu Jayanti College.

Isha Kansal, Assistant Professor at Chitkara University, Punjab, has obtained her doctorate degree from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Punjab. Both of her M.Tech. (CSE) (from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology) and B.Tech. (CSE) (from BBSBEC Fatehgarh Sahib) degrees are with distinction. She has about 14 SCI Publications and more than 40 publications in renowned international journals and fully refereed international conferences with the experience of more than nine years. Recently, she has been certified under Wipro Talent Next Program in JAVA. Her main areas of research include image/video processing, machine and deep learning.

Simanpreet Kaur is a Faculty in the area of finance at Chandigarh School of Business, Jhanjeri. Her educational qualifications include Ph.D. (Finance), M.Com. and B.Com. (Hons). She has done her Ph.D. in the area of finance and management. She has publications related to finance and sustainability in various research journals. She has also participated in various FDPs, workshops and national and international conferences. She has a total of eight years of experience in the field of teaching and research.

Ashish Kumar has received his B.Tech. in 2008 and M.Tech. in 2012 from Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India, and Ph.D. in 2020 from Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Longowal, Sangrur, Punjab, India. He has also worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Technical University, Ilmenau, Thuringia, Germany. Previously, he was working as a Research Associate in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), India. At present, he is working as Assistant Professor-III at Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab, India. He has published more than 25 research articles in various national and international journals/conferences. His research includes automotive antennas, substrate integrated waveguide antennas, reconfigurable patch antennas, fractal antennas and MEMS design.

Punam Kumari is currently serving as Assistant Professor in Journalism and Mass Communication, IMS Ghaziabad (UC Campus). She is an experienced editor with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. Skilled in web editing, content manager, editing, copy editing and writing, she has contributed two books in the field of JMC. She is a media and communication professional with a Master of Arts focussed in Journalism and Mass Communication from Banaras Hindu University.

T. Mangaiyarkarasi has 15 years of experience in academics and industry. Her research areas include finance and analytics. She has numerous publications and case studies in credit risk, cryptocurrencies and fintech, and holds several technical certifications in analytics. She is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai.

Sukanya Metta has 20 years of teaching experience and is working presently as Head of the Department of Management Studies in Vardhaman College of Engineering, Hyderabad, India. She has worked in various university-affiliated colleges under Osmania University and JNTUH. She holds an MBA degree with specialisation in Marketing and is awarded a doctoral degree in Marketing from Sri Padmavati MahilaVisvavidyalayam, Tirupati, India. Her areas of interest include global marketing, green marketing, neuro marketing and retail marketing. She has attended various national and international conferences and has published several research papers in various journals.

Deshika Nainanayake is a Ph.D. candidate in Accounting at Western Sydney University, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Finance from Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. With four years of experience in teaching and research, she has published over 20 articles and conference papers within the past three years.

Aditya Saxena holds the Bachelor degree in Computer Science Engineering from Chitkara University. With a passion for technology and innovation, he co-founded Homenetics Technology Pvt. Ltd., focussing on simplifying smart home automation. Leveraging his technical expertise, his aim is to make modern living more efficient, secure, and comfortable through integrated solutions that enhance everyday life.

Kuldeep Sharma is an academician, researcher badging Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering. He is a well-structured administrator with rich academic experience. The zeal towards exploring Industry 4.0 technologies made him design and develop more than 10 courses like AI, Data Science, IoT, Cyber Security at UG and PG levels. He is a disciplined leader, efficient in managing large-sized teams. Additionally, he is very well-versed with NBA and NAAC accreditation. He is an active senior member of IEEE for the past 14 years and an adviser of computer science education to reputed companies.

Rubani Singla is a dedicated professional with a strong research, teaching and academic administration background. With over four years of experience, Rubani has held positions as an Assistant Professor at CGC Jhanjeri Mohali and GZS Campus College of Engineering & Technology Bathinda. With a solid educational foundation in information technology and computer science, including an M.Tech. degree, Rubani has contributed to the field through research papers on topics like skew detection in text documents and the socio-economic impacts of e-commerce. In addition to academic achievements, Rubani has gained significant industrial training in various technologies and is proficient in website designing, and multiple programming languages.

Suganya V. is an Assistant Professor selection grade in Faculty of Management at SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India, handling subjects varied from human resources and marketing management. She’s known for her extensive contributions to academia who has a depth knowledge when it comes to research and its methodologies. With a focus on research, she has presented numerous papers at both international and national conferences, showcasing her expertise in her field. As an educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role, inspiring students and colleagues alike. Her dedication to scholarly pursuits has earned her recognition as a leading figure in her field, with her work making valuable contributions to the academic community.

Vijayta Taneja, currently working at DIHE, Greater Noida, as Associate Professor and Programme Coordinator in Journalism and Mass Communication is a seasoned media educator with over 16 years of experience empowering diverse audiences to become critical consumers of information. Her journey spans both the academic and professional realms, encompassing impactful engagements with students at reputed institutions affiliated to GNDU Amritsar, Punjabi University Patiala, CCSU Meerut and DAV University. She has authored three books, presented her research at international conferences and published extensively in recognised journals. Recognising the need for grassroots interventions, she has spearheaded over 15 FACTSHALA workshops, effectively training various societal groups on navigating the media landscape. Her exceptional academic credentials, coupled with her commitment to practical application and community engagement, make her a sought-after expert and a valuable asset to any institution or initiative focussed on building a media-literate society.

S. Venkata Siva Kumar, with an MBA, M.Sc. (Statistics) and Ph.D. from JNTU Kakinada, has over 15 years of teaching experience and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management Studies at Vardhaman College of Engineering, Hyderabad. He has published 26 research papers in peer-reviewed and indexed journals, authored 15 papers in ISBN books, and edited three books. His book Vortex to Tranquility – Voyage of Self Mastery reflects his expertise. He also has two years of corporate experience in US IT staffing. He specialises in statistics, operations research, research methodology and data analytics using SPSS and MS Excel. He has participated in over 40 FDPs, workshops and conferences, organised numerous seminars and guided students in presenting research papers at various events. He organised a one-week FDP on Research Methodology and Statistical Analysis and held the role as resource persons in various FDPs.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has benefitted businesses across industry verticals. Especially when complemented with data science, the use of AI can open new avenues of opportunities for firms and organisations. While the benefits of using AI in the age of data science are very much apparent, one should not neglect the challenges that come associated with AI use in the data science field. It is against this specific background, that Navigating Data Science in the Age of AI: Exploring Possibilities of Generative Intelligence assumes significance.

Navigating Data Science in the Age of AI: Exploring Possibilities of Generative Intelligence takes a comprehensive view of the application of AI in the data science domain and how the technology is bringing a transformative change in businesses across industries. The generative aspect of AI has also been considered rigorously by authors with specific implications for the e-commerce, education, and financial technology sectors. The combined use of AI and data science in the insurance industry has also been covered by the book with authors specifically detailing the changes that both AI and machine learning (ML) are bringing to the insurance landscape. The evolving role of data scientists and how the integration of AI will be changing business practices across functional departments and operations have also been discussed in detail by the book in various chapters.

The transformation of the Banking and Financial Technology Sector by harnessing the combined potential of data science and AI also finds a place in this book. The authors have also discussed in detail the future possibilities related to the use of AI with specific applications of the technology in corporate governance. The media and communication industry has also been touched on by the authors with a specific focus on the role of AI in revolutionising the electronic media industry. The challenges related to the psychological well-being of the employees with increasing use of technology and enhanced screen time are also part of the discussion captured by the book. The challenges related to navigating the technology landscape with specific references to the ethical implications of AI have been covered by contributors. In addition, the impact of the technology adoption to drive the next phase of growth in marketing and promotional activities is also covered in the book.

The striking uniqueness is the holistic approach with authors contributing over a range of topics related to AI and data science. Academics, businesses and stakeholders will benefit immensely from the wider coverage and could also help policymakers to draft regulations related to the use of these technologies. We sincerely hope that this book will contribute by creating a win–win situation for all stakeholders involved in the industry.

Editors

Dr Babita Singla

Dr Kumar Shalender

Dr Nripendra Singh