Creative chiefs in the dark over the rise of 'AI washing'

“AI washing” might be becoming increasingly prominent, but the vast majority of creatives (80%) have never even heard of it, despite two recent cases in the US, where firms have been found guilty of exaggeration or deliberate misrepresentation of their AI capabilities.

A new global poll from Designit, the Wipro-owned global experience company, canvassed respondents ranging from design strategists and leaders to UX and product designers, and found the AI-washing blind spot was evident across all levels of experience.

In facgt, only 14% of those polled had heard of the phenomenon and had experienced it, with the remaining 6% knowing of it, but not knowingly coming face-to-face with AI washing.

In the past month, with the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued fines to investment advisory firms Delphia and Global Predictions for being disingenuous about their use of AI. The duo were hit with a total of $400,000 in penalties, and, although not a lot by SEC standards, this has been seen as a shot across the bows.

The lack of awareness among creatives of such a growing phenomenon is potentially damaging for brands across the board, claims Pardis Shafafi, global responsible business lead at Designit.

She added: “Brands’ impatience to be seen as cutting-edge, and their eagerness to embrace all the benefits of AI, is understandable. What’s key is that this latest, admittedly powerful, tool doesn’t come at the cost of consumer trust.

“The imperative for brands and their agency partners to be vigilant to developments including AI washing is greater now than ever: with fake news and misinformation making consumers more wary and suspicious than ever, we all have a reputational responsibility not to mislead consumers.”