What is The Social Contract of AI Ethics?

It’s June 21, 2024, and as marketers and other professionals turn their attention to AI tools, the need for transparency and ethical usage continues to grow. In my area of expertise, AI tools are already showcasing unprecedented capabilities.

From personalized content recommendations to predictive analytics, professionals who are using these tools can create quality deliverables faster.

But there’s a downside—there always is.

As AI becomes more integrated into marketing strategies, professionals will have a harder time maintaining authenticity in their messaging. Why? 

• As the public becomes more aware that AI is behind much of the marketing content they encounter, they will be wary of trusting new brands.
• For established brands, making sure you incorporate AI marketing tools in a way that doesn’t detract from the loyalty you’ve already developed is key.

Surely, consumers will adapt to the new tech and begin to “see through” companies that choose efficiency over quality. To me, it’s about marrying the two. Companies that do it right can reap the benefits.

All this is to say, we’re writing the Social Contract of AI in 2024. AI and ethics must go hand in hand.

I know there will always be people who use new tech with ill intent, but for the majority of us, we’re using AI in a way that most benefits us in a morally sound manner.  In doing so, we’re indicating how we’d like to see AI get incorporated into our daily lives.

Ok, let me be super clear—the “Social Contract of AI” is just like any other social contract. Just as society tends to be quieter in libraries and more patient with the elderly, the AI social contract will be an understanding of how the masses utilize the tool in respect to themselves and also others.

So in my opinion, at this moment in time, it refers to the AI ethics and the implicit agreement between AI developers and the public.

You might think you have no say, but the way you’re using AI is saying something. 

Three Main Factors Hold Equal Importance:

1. Transparency: Designing AI systems with the end-user in mind ensures that they are accessible, understandable, and provide real value to the users. Developers need to clearly communicate how AI systems work, including their capabilities and limitations. This helps demystify AI and allows users to understand and trust the technology.
2. Ethical Concerns of AI in Design: Knowing that the initial AI tech was designed by a very small group, figuring out how to now ensure that AI systems are developed with ethical considerations in mind is key. We cannot expect AI to avoid biases and ensure fairness if the developers do not set those guidelines and standards.
3. Accountability: How can you help promote responsible AI use? Certainly within your own ecosystem, make sure you have a system for accountability. Just as we’d expect car manufacturers to safety test their vehicles, the public can integrate the expectation of accountability into this social contract. AI developers must have some element of responsibility for the outcomes of their AI systems.

Obviously, this is a universe-sized topic with countless galaxies and subsequent solar systems to decipher. From my little corner of Earth, I’m looking at it as a marketing professional.

With my two years of experience using AI, I can tell you it is crucial to integrate these principles into your mindset NOW if you want to keep building and maintaining trust with your audience. Here’s how I think you can do it.

Transparency in Marketing:

• Content Creation: Be upfront about how you’re using AI marketing tools to make your customer experience better.
• Data Usage: Always, always disclose how customer data is collected, stored, and used by your AI systems. You can alleviate privacy concerns.
• Customer Experience: Focus on creating things that genuinely enhance the customer experience. Ensure that these solutions are user-friendly and add real value to the users’ lives.
• User Education: If you are marketing AI solutions of any kind, develop clear resources that help prospects understand how their use of your product can affect them. Provide tutorials, FAQs, and support resources.

Designing Ethical AI Campaigns:

• Inclusive Marketing: Ensure that your marketing campaigns are inclusive because you do not want to perpetuate biases. You can do this by using diverse data sets. AI can only give you what you ask of it. Be sure you’re asking for diversity.
• Ethical Messaging: You can also promote the ethical use of AI in your messaging by highlighting how your campaign adheres to ethical guidelines and standards. Note that AI guidelines will continue to evolve, but your commitment to ethical usage can remain consistent with common sense.

Accountability in Communications:

• Stay Open to Feedback: Provide clear channels for customers to give feedback or report issues with you, especially as you incorporate AI systems. This is because you should show you take their concerns seriously and are committed to addressing them.
• Transparency Reports: Just as publicly traded companies share information with stockholders, you can also incorporate one or more tools to show your customers how you’re committed to accountability in this new era. Showcasing the ethical considerations of your AI usage is a great opportunity to keep that trust-building exercise going.

It’s so cool to be learning about this in real time, together.

Undeniably, if you embed these principles into your marketing practices, you’ll help write the “Social Contract of AI” as a willing participant. Considering the worldwide impact AI will have on society, it’s important we all recognize how relevant that is at this moment.

Ready to incorporate AI tools but unsure where to begin? Please book a complimentary consultation with me or email me anytime: rachel@bellestrategies.com  

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