Proposed Principles for AI Usage in Public Communications
Last updated December 1, 2024
Throughout 2024, relying on our guiding inquiry, the Ethical Use of AI in Public Health Communications working group has been developing a set of practical guidelines for public health communicators who are considering incorporating AI into their work.
The working group has so come up with with 5 proposed principles for AI usage in public communications: protecting the public, establishing accuracy, centering human judgment, ensuring community health, and keeping up to date with AI technology (as well as the public’s view of it).
We have summarized these 5 proposed principles in a series of image cards intended to be shared on social media.
The guiding principles that the working group has currently come up with are: protecting the public, establishing accuracy, centering human judgment, ensuring community health, and keeping up to date with AI technology (as well as the public’s view of it).
Principle 1: Respectfully Protecting the Public is Critical
This principle is built on the fact that the primary goal of public health communication is to inform the public and assist the public’s health and well-being. This includes maintaining the public’s trust, being transparent in AI usage, and prioritizing the public’s privacy.
Principle 2: Accuracy Establishes Credibility
Ensuring health information is accurate, timely, and complete is crucial. Public health communicators are responsible for the information and recommendations they communicate, regardless of the use of AI. Communicators must diligently review all information, regardless of its source, and remain vigilant about potential biases in AI tools or information sources. This includes reviewing any text generated by AI.
Principle 3: Humans and Their Judgment are Central
Regardless of AI use, the role of humans in communicating health information is central. A generative AI tool may create a helpful vaccine announcement, but humans are the ultimate judges, evaluators, and authors of any message. This includes ensuring that the information is appropriate for the organization and making sure to cite the information and the creative works.
Principle 4: Considering the Health of All Communities is Essential
It is vital that we strive to communicate in a way that is fair and just, to avoid harming the recipients of the message. For example, what is generated by AI may only be true of a majority group. Or, it may provide diversity in the information but humans are needed to assure it is contextualized. Considering the obligation to provide opportunities for all people to achieve their highest health upfront in the implementation of AI tools can help ensure these tools are applied in fair and just ways while also avoiding pitfalls of bias and exclusion.
Principle 5: Responsible Iteration is Necessary
Communicators using AI must both train their technical competence and keep up to date with relevant AI tool updates, as well as public sentiment and trust towards AI usage in communication. Organizations should provide resources for ongoing training and updating of AI-related information.
For more information and to share your thoughts, see Proposed Principles for AI Usage: Practical Updates from the AI Working Group.
