Report: An ethical guide to artificial intelligence

Utilising new technologies is a must for modern day marketers, but it isn't without its risks... 

Steve Jobs once said that computers don’t make mistakes, humans do. He was referring to the fact that machines can’t make mistakes because they are programmed by humans. By their nature they just carry out instructions based on 1’s and 0’s. Fast forward 20 years and computers are such a significant part of our lives that errors due to incomplete data, wrong code, unintentional bias or just plain mistakes can have a huge impact.  

In fact, it is estimated that by the end of this year, more people globally will have mobile phones than running water or electricity at home, such is our dependency on technology. Marketing and public relations are no different. Hyper-individualised campaigns, ultra-analytics, interactive AI-powered ads and AI-driven newsroom technologies are set to change how we promote and consume information forever.

As marketing professionals, we wear many hats, from e-commerce to content distribution and brand to PR/comms. What’s clear is that to address all these market changes and opportunities, we all need a broader understanding of the underlying technologies and techniques, along with the ethical implications of embracing them.

It’s clearly a fascinating and exciting time to work in marketing as we approach the brink of the mass adoption of AI. The disruption created by Covid-19 for instance has seen many firms embrace AI and automation at scale, and fast, to cope with changing working patterns and consumer demand. What professionals now need is clear ethical standards and practices to ensure artificial intelligence is used correctly.

With this in mind we were happy to support the world’s first AI in PR Ethics Guide, published by fellow Chartered body, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). The new guide poses some tough ethical questions around the deployment and use of AI technologies. The report is designed to support PR professionals and marketers with communication responsibilities, allowing them to advise senior management regarding AI. It outlines some key principles for ethical decision-making, provides practical advice on using the CIPR’s ethical decision-making tree and the Open Data Institute’s data ethics canvas through the use of real-life examples.

With new laws and regulations unlikely to keep pace with modern technologies, marketing and PR professionals will need frameworks and insight to keep their organisations and brands safe as AI products, tools, services and platforms are deployed.

You can download the report now here or via the image below.

To upskill yourself to take advantage of the latest digital techniques, why not check out CIM’s growing portfolio of online services, which include: webinars, podcasts and training materials, live-virtual and online courses such as the recently launched ‘Digital Marketing Channels’ course.