The Dual Nature of AI in Information Dissemination: Ethical Considerations

Infodemics pose significant dangers to public health and to the societal fabric, as the spread of misinformation can have far-reaching consequences. While artificial intelligence (AI) systems have the potential to craft compelling and valuable information campaigns with positive repercussions for public health and democracy, concerns have arisen regarding the potential use of AI systems to generate convincing disinformation. The consequences of this dual nature of AI, capable of both illuminating and obscuring the information landscape, are complex and multifaceted. We contend that the rapid integration of AI into society demands a comprehensive understanding of its ethical implications and the development of strategies to harness its potential for the greater good while mitigating harm. Thus, in this paper we explore the ethical dimensions of AI’s role in information dissemination and impact on public health, arguing that potential strategies to deal with AI and disinformation encompass generating regulated and transparent data sets used to train AI models, regulating content outputs, and promoting information literacy.