Over the past year, there’s arguably been no bigger story in tech than the advent of ChatGPT and other AI tools. AI is poised to transform virtually every industry, and marketing is no exception. In fact, a recent survey shows that more than 61 percent of marketers have already adopted AI or plan to do so soon, with more than 40 percent using AI for content marketing specifically.
There’s no doubt that AI can be a helpful tool in the marketer’s toolbox, but before embracing it wholeheartedly, marketers should be aware of some prickly ethical concerns that AI has brought to the fore.
Uncharted Territory
To be sure, AI represents a sea change in the marketing world. Some experts have likened it to the wild west, noting that there are currently very few safeguards, protocols, or industry norms in place to ensure that AI is leveraged ethically and responsibly.
Unsurprisingly, there have already been some abuses. To cite just one example, there have been documented cases of AI being used to generate fake Google and Yelp reviews, boosting a brand’s reputation by outright fabricating information and misleading consumers.
Concerns like this do not invalidate the use of AI, but they do suggest an urgent need for marketers to educate themselves about how programs like ChatGPT can be abused (and, about how such abuses can be avoided).
Examples of Unethical AI Use
Here are a few of the ethical concerns surrounding AI.
1) Inaccurate Information.
One of the most obvious limitations of AI is its level of information accuracy. Applications like ChatGPT are focused on a fixed dataset, which means the information provided may not take into account new developments or more current trends. Additionally, language itself can be ambiguous, resulting in misrepresentations or misleading statements. Marketers who depend on AI to provide content should be well aware that the information provided may be incomplete, out of date, or simply wrong. Human fact-checking is always important.
2) Transparency and Trust.
For marketers and advertisers to be successful, they need to maintain some measure of trust with their audience. Does this mean that marketers should disclose to their audience when a piece of content has been generated by AI? Many ethicists say yes, though the law remains somewhat muddied in this area. It’s a field where we expect to see plenty of further theorizing in years to come, both at the regulatory level and simply in terms of marketing best practices.
3) Copyright Concerns.
Another landmine that AI has introduced is the use of copyrighted content. Keep in mind that predictive text applications like ChatGPT can often incorporate fragments of existing materials, including some that might be protected under intellectual property laws. Even using copyrighted materials as a way to “train” an AI system may infringe upon the copyright holder’s legal rights. Our general guidance for marketers is to either seek permission from copyright holders or ensure that only public domain materials are used.
4) Bias.
Marketers also face a responsibility to ensure that AI systems are trained on datasets that are representationally diverse and that this diversity is audited and verified on a regular basis. Without the proper level of human oversight and intervention, AI can develop some unintentional or accidental prejudices, which are prevalent in online content that AI uses. Marketers using AI must be clear about their organization’s values, and take reasonable measures to ensure that AI systems are in line with those values.
5) Privacy Considerations.
If AI is the biggest tech story in recent years, user privacy concerns aren’t far behind. It’s never been more urgent for marketers to respect the privacy and security of their audience’s personal data, something that’s critical for any AI applications that involve the collection of processing of consumer information. When implementing AI technology, marketers have to be vigilant in their adherence to data security and privacy laws.
6) Chatbot Manipulation.
One of the most common AI applications is “chatbot” technology, which allows website users to interact with a virtual assistant rather than making a phone call to a human representative. Chatbot technology can be incredibly beneficial to marketers and consumers alike, yet it’s important to ensure that these chatbots never provide misleading or manipulative information, steering customers toward predetermined products and services as opposed to the products and services the customer actually needs.
Taking an Ethical Approach to AI
AI technology has introduced a number of ethical variables into the marketing equation, and it’s important to think about these variables critically. Unethical behavior can be both morally and legally dubious and can ultimately endanger hard-earned consumer trust. This is an issue we expect to see at the forefront of our industry, and we’ll keep you posted with any new developments. In the meantime, reach out to our team with any questions.
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