The use of AI in content production raises numerous ethical considerations. The conversations surrounding AI have been hashed and rehashed, but there is little consensus on its use in the world of content marketing. In the most basic form, AI involves machine learning. It searches numerous sources for information. Then, it regurgitates this information verbosely when prompted. The machine learning aspect allows AI to learn and improve—in theory.
AI holds promise when it is used as a tool, not a crutch. AI helps writers work faster and more efficiently. However, it’s clear that it is being used as a primary means of attempting to “hack” social media and search engine algorithms. Suddenly, everyone, even those with no prior experience in writing, is producing flawless content. However, flawless content does not equate to meaningful content.
Ethical Dilemmas
There is a wealth of ethical dilemmas that should be explored, and we’re running out of time to find solutions. AI is learning, growing, and expanding while we grapple with solutions to the most fundamental ethical issues. Google is rewarding AI in the SERPS but is missing one key point—content needs to be written for human consumption instead of bots. Humans are complex and have different intent behind each search query. They are also busy and prefer to ingest content that is engaging, entertaining, and to the point.
Plagiarism
AI generates content by collecting and analyzing data from various sources. Therefore, there is a high probability that the content it produces is plagiarized. This is a significant ethical concern as it may be impossible to trace the content to its original source. Given that both the law and industry practices have established that plagiarism is illegal and unethical, it undermines the creditability and integrity of the content.
To further confuse the issue, AI continues to draw from sources ranking high in the SERPS. When AI produces said content in the first place, it creates a confusing loop where AI is sourcing information from AI.
Accountability
Developers, designers, and users of AI are responsible for ensuring that the technology is used ethically and responsibly. That’s what an AI tool told me when I asked about accountability in AI. It sounds good, but what does it mean in reality? Do we, as a society, trust anonymous designers, developers, and users to ensure the ethical use of AI without any form of oversite? What does ethical use even mean?
Once again, I asked the source. The AI tool responded that “the ethical use of AI means using artificial intelligence technology in a way that aligns with moral principals and values.” Ahh, that clears it up. Whose moral principles and values? Essentially, it is a powerful tool without accountability or oversight. When I asked AI about oversight, it referenced the Algorithmic Accountability Act, first proposed in 2019. However, it failed to mention that the bill failed to pass in 2019 and again in 2022.
Misinformation
AI garners its information from various sources, but often, those sources are wrong or outdated. The amusing, mildly terrifying thing about AI’s reliability is its unwavering confidence in the information it provides. In the context of content marketing, that means you need to fact-check everything AI generates. The problem is that many sources used for fact-checking may soon be AI-generated as well.
We’ve all heard of how AI is used to create “deepfake” images and videos designed to deceive people. The scary part is that it’s very, very good at this. There are also AI-generated bots programmed to spread misinformation on social media platforms.
The Solution
While the legal system in the U.S. scrambles to sort out the ethical concerns surrounding AI, the easiest solution for content marketers is to continue to rely on the human element to produce content that is tailored to the target audience, accurate, and engaging. Using AI as a tool to create outlines or garner ideas about a difficult paragraph is helpful. Successful writers will learn to use AI as a tool but won’t let it replace the insight, perspective, and effectiveness of human-generated content.
Write Solutions utilizes human writers who are knowledgeable in their fields to ensure original, engaging content written specifically for the target audience.
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