The role of artificial intelligence (AI) is growing in many industries. That includes social media. The power of AI to harness text, image, audio, and video uses introduces opportunities for content creation, data analysis, and more. Along with these benefits come serious concerns about privacy and safety.
As B2B organizations explore opportunities to leverage AI, they must keep in mind the risks and understand how to protect their brand. How can AI support businesses’ social media objectives, while avoiding pitfalls both obvious and hidden? A closer look at the pluses and minuses is needed.
Content creation with the help of AI
There are several areas in social media where AI can make a positive impact. The first, and most obvious, is content creation. Sourcing content can be a time-consuming challenge for social media professionals, especially those who face tasks beyond updating their daily content calendars. From developing ideas and writing copy to creating images, AI can help speed up the content creation process. This frees up more time for social media strategizing.
While AI can help social media marketers save time, businesses must keep in mind their audience’s desire for authentic content. According to a Hootsuite trend report, 62 percent of consumers say they are less likely to engage with and trust content if they know it was created by an AI application. With speed and convenience can come inaccuracy and misinformation. Checking facts and for plagiarism before publishing any content, social media or otherwise, is a critical step that requires the human touch.
Privacy and compliance concerns with AI in social media
AI can be immensely helpful for social media professionals as outlined above; however, it also comes with concerns. Privacy is one of the more apparent risks. AI can help develop personalized recommendations for content, however, it’s able to do so because it analyzes user data.
This raises the question: how secure is it to use AI? Another issue is the likelihood of spreading misinformation and plagiarized content. AI tools might provide out of date or incorrect information; therefore fact-checking is crucial. AI copy might appear well-written, but it could also be littered with bias and repetitive use of words or phrases. To stay ahead of the AI concerns, social media marketers need to review AI content before pressing post, be honest with consumers about using AI, and stay up to date on the latest AI technologies and regulations.
What does the law say?
According to the U.S. Copyright Office, there is no copyright protection for works created by non-humans. However, AI systems must first learn from humans to produce an output. What does this mean in the eyes of the law? The government and courts are still sorting that out.
Several states have enacted bills that primarily address two concerns: data privacy and accountability. To be proactive instead of reactive, brands and creators should frequently look for their work in data sets through automated search tools. Businesses and customers in the products and services industry who use AI should have agreements that include disclosures to help make certain intellectual property rights are understood and protected.
These are only some of the opportunities for AI in social media—and they will continue to grow as technology does. While AI can help save time and money, it should still be viewed as an adjunct tool and not a permanent solution. If businesses aren’t transparent about their AI use with consumers, trust might waver. Marketers and social media professionals alike must work smarter than AI by developing policies for when and where to use it.
