The expansion of artificial intelligence in marketing has triggered a profound transformation in how brands interact with customers and create personalized experiences. However, this transformation raises important questions regarding privacy, trust, and technology ethics. This study aims to elucidate the lived experiences of Iranian tourists interacting with AI-based marketing platforms and to explore the ethical boundaries of personalization. Using a qualitative approach and narrative inquiry method, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Iranian tourists active on intelligent platforms such as Instagram, TripAdvisor, and Telegram. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA, and the main themes were extracted. The findings indicate that users’ experiences with AI-based marketing are dual in nature: on one hand, intelligent personalization enhances comfort, satisfaction, and facilitates travel decision-making; on the other hand, overly precise recommendations and perceived data surveillance can lead to fear, discomfort, and a sense of being controlled. The results suggest that the boundary between personalization and privacy violation is fluid, perceptual, and ethical, depending on factors such as organizational transparency, informed consent, and the user’s perceived control. Additionally, data overlap across different platform ecosystems intensifies the perception of constant surveillance. This study emphasizes the necessity of ethically designed and governed AI marketing systems in tourism and posits that their success depends on aligning technological innovation with human values and users’ trust.