Global advertising spending topped $1 trillion annually, according to the United Nations (UN), but the untapped power of major brands to shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) could fail to act and deepen global information integrity.
In a new brief, the UN, together with the Department of Global Communications and the Conscious Advertising Network, reiterated that unchecked AI adoption in advertising can accelerate risks across the whole digital information ecosystem.
The brief, titled “Strengthening Information Integrity: Advertising, Artificial Intelligence and the Global Crisis,” noted that the advertising sector plays a significant role in how information flows online, with its “spending decisions influencing which content is produced, amplified and monetised.” As AI tools become more popular and embedded in content generation and media buying, the risk of spreading false information may increase.
“People are increasingly relying on AI to make decisions and shape their understanding of the world without the literacy or information needed to assess its safety and reliability. These dynamics are compounded by the use of AI to create and distribute false and hateful content at scale, contributing to a broader erosion of trust in information sources,” the UN warned. “Advertising may seem a surprising entry point for addressing these challenges. Yet advertising is the dominant business model of the digital information ecosystem, funding all kinds of content, from pluralistic media and high-quality entertainment to hate speech and disinformation. It is the core revenue model of platforms where billions of people access news, connect with others and form their understanding of the world.”
“Brands are under pressure to move fast on AI, but doing so without guardrails risks undermining the very environments their marketing depends on,” said Harriet Kingaby of the Conscious Advertising Network.
The UN highlighted several risks, such as how AI is accelerating the spread of fake information, hate speech, and polarizing content, while advertising revenue continues to fund online content, raising concerns about fraud and inefficiency. In its brief, the UN indicates that about 16 – 17% of programmatic ad transactions have been flagged as “fraudulent,” while invalid traffic accounted for roughly 8.5% of ad impressions worldwide. The agency warned that the consequences for the information ecosystem are significant. Without effective oversight, revenue from ads will continue to flow indiscriminately, prioritizing attracting and retaining user attention over quality or accuracy.
The UN brief adds that independent journalism and other credible sources are having difficulty attracting audiences and funding as they compete with misleading AI-generated content. A lack of transparency further limits advertisers and the public from making well-informed decisions about the content they consume and support.
In this regard, the UN calls on policymakers to align AI and advertising governance frameworks with international standards. They suggested enforcing “object-level transparency standards” across the industry, including data minimization practices and full disclosure of advertising campaign data. The agency also called for machine-readable labeling and accountability standards. The UN recommended that regulators work with industry experts and civil society to improve transparency.
As for advertisers, the international organization recommended for better visibility across AI supply chains, prioritizing quality and using financial leverage to push platforms to create stronger safeguards for their consumers.
“Improving transparency in media buying can deliver double-digit gains in advertising performance – underscoring that responsible practices can also align with good business,” the UN said.
Concluding their brief, the UN provides a 3R approach to the identification and management of information integrity risks. The 3R approach—Research, Risk, Response—guides advertisers in identifying, assessing, and managing information integrity amid the rise of AI-generated content. It aims to promote a proactive approach to preventing, mitigating, and recovering from misinformation or AI risks.
Read the full UN brief here.
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AI risks in misinformation
In an age where AI and deepfake technology are developing rapidly, misinformation has become prevalent and threatens trust. From fabricated videos of public figures to AI-generated fake news, the digital landscape is increasingly vulnerable to manipulation.
A survey conducted by D S Simon Media found that 68% of producers prefer airing news stories optimized for GEO or AI search. They also found that 37% of producers are already using AI tools to identify potential stories, while 60% are optimizing their online content to be discovered in AI search results. News producers are using AI to streamline research, transcription, graphics creation, and the repurposing of broadcast content for online distribution.
AI is now becoming an essential tool for work and is no longer optional. To combat misinformation, we can opt for a technology that promotes trust and verification, such as a blockchain network that ensures data integrity, scalability, and utility.
Our previous report shows that BSV can combat deepfakes and misinformation by enabling creators to timestamp and hash their work in a public ledger, ensuring the data recorded cannot be changed or deleted, verifying digital identities linked to public handling, and enabling massive-volume, distributed content verification.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek’s coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI.
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Watch: AI’s Biggest Power Lies in People, Not Tech
Source: https://coingeek.com/un-ad-spending-tops-1t-but-ai-risk-fueling-misinformation/
