Information taken out of context: why AI is dangerous for society – Sheremetyeva-Turchin
29 April 17:37
The rapid development of artificial intelligence is becoming a real challenge for the communications, PR, and media industries. Tools that seemed innovative yesterday are now being actively implemented in the daily work of companies and newsrooms. However, along with the opportunities, AI also brings serious threats that are often overlooked.
During the panel discussion “AI in Communications: Business and PR. What are the benefits and hidden threats?” Why new technologies can undermine the financial stability of the media, what are the real consequences for society, and how important it is to learn to innovate responsibly – in the article "Komersant Ukrainian".
Technology giants such as Google are actively developing AI and AI-based tools, including IAO Review, which is already significantly changing the information search ecosystem. This was stated by Svitlana Sheremetyeva-Turchyn, Deputy CEO of RBC Ukraine. She sees this as more of a threat than a help.
“Previously, when you entered a query into a search engine, such as how to make a pie or what holiday is today, search engines displayed trusted, proven sites on the first pages. The more citations you have, the higher your position in the search results. And now Google itself gives you a short, structured answer to your query right away. And often this is enough for users. There is less and less need to go to websites,” explained Svitlana Sheremetyeva-Turchin.
According to Sheremetieva-Turchyn, this change leads to serious consequences for the media: a decrease in traffic to websites, a drop in advertising revenue, and staff optimization.
“The chain of consequences is very long. And this is without taking into account the risks of distortion of information that is presented out of context,” emphasized Sheremetyeva-Turchyn.
According to her, the use of AI in topics related to health, security, and other critical issues is particularly dangerous. Sheremetieva-Turchin warned that where in-depth analysis and balance of opinions are required, a short answer from AI can be misleading. There is also a need to clearly identify materials created with the help of artificial intelligence.
“If we use AI in content creation, it should be openly stated. Otherwise, it can lead to fines and loss of audience trust,” said Sheremetyeva-Turchyn.
At the same time, she recognized that artificial intelligence also opens up new opportunities. “We need to find ways to integrate AI into our work for our benefit – to analyze data, automate routine processes. However, it is currently impossible to completely eliminate the human factor.
“AI is no longer the future, it is our present. And it is important to learn how to live with this tool, maximizing its benefits and minimizing risks,” summarized Svitlana Sheremetieva-Turchyn.
Thus, it is important to see both new opportunities and real threats in time. It is impossible to ignore the impact of AI on the information space. And the task of the media, business, and society is to learn to work with new technologies consciously, seeking a balance between efficiency and ethics.
