Dark side of AI in marketing often ignored, expert says

A advertising and marketing knowledgeable is sounding warning bells over a scarcity of consideration paid to the “darkish facet” of synthetic intelligence-powered promoting.

Lauren Labrecque and her colleagues printed analysis that confirmed nearly 10% of articles that point out AI in high-ranking advertising and marketing journals even talked about the potential harms of utilizing AI in promoting.

“Entrepreneurs have jumped on it in so some ways,” Labrecque stated Wednesday.

She’s a professor on the College of Rhode Island who research know-how in advertising and marketing.

She wrote an article for The Conversation about her study, wherein she stated AI has revolutionized the way in which companies market their products and enabled them to target consumers in customized and interactive methods.

Adverts, emails and social media posts can all be made or enhanced with AI.

Labrecque stated the articles within the advertising and marketing journals that they reviewed “are touting that it’s cheaper, it is extra environment friendly, you are able to do higher concentrating on. However how are individuals going to react? And the way is that doubtlessly (going to) hurt individuals in methods?”

Simply 33 of the 290 advertising and marketing journal articles weighed the moral issues for AI adoption.

Entrepreneurs are excited concerning the new AI instruments at their disposal however must decelerate and think about whether or not they’re doing proper by shoppers, Labrecque stated.

Most people in all probability don’t take into consideration how inundated they’re by AI-powered advertising and marketing efforts.

Watching a present on Netflix? AI helps the algorithm push sure exhibits to you.

Buying on Amazon, Walmart or any variety of websites? AI exhibits you product options.

Use a chatbot for assistance on an internet site? You’re possible interacting with AI.

“It could be a stretch to search out many firms who should not utilizing AI indirectly, whether or not or not it’s merely serving to them craft more practical social media posts to … Coca-Cola creating their whole new Christmas ad, simply AI-generated,” Labrecque stated.

A scarcity of transparency, misinformation and manipulation are all issues.

AI has the potential in advertising and marketing to perpetuate dangerous stereotypes, infringe on the person rights of artists, or negatively have an effect on psychological well being with AI-powered magnificence filters, Labrecque stated.

Some firms have been utilizing AI to create fashions as an alternative of hiring actual fashions, she stated.

“What are the potential ramifications of that?” Labrecque stated.

Shoppers must have “wholesome skepticism” today about what they’re seeing from entrepreneurs, she stated.

And she or he stated firms want to determine inner guardrails to guard each them and their prospects from adverse ramifications, she stated.

“It is type of just like the Wild, Wild West” when it comes to controlling the brand new AI know-how in advertising and marketing, Labrecque stated.

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