Generative artificial intelligence: what are the implications for brand safety?

Fireside chat with ChatGPT

ChatGPT, short for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, is a free-to-use chatbot developed by OpenAI, launched in November 2022. It is fine-tuned from GPT-3.5 and optimised for dialogue by using Reinforcement Learning and Human Feedback (RLHF). Arguably, the bot seems so real because it was trained on vast amounts of data from social and cultural phenomena specific to the internet (memes, jokes, catchphrases, viral videos, themes and images) as well as human conversations, which is why its response time seems human-like.  

As ChatGPT is currently the talk of the town, we sat down to talk about its implications towards brand safety, content moderation and misinformation. ChatGPT graced us with some tips, shedding light on best practices for the present and future of its use.

Do you think services like ChatGPT will make it harder for content moderation tools to spot misinformation and moderate harmful content?

It is possible that chatbots like GPT could make it more difficult for content moderation tools to identify misinformation and harmful content.

Content moderation tools rely on various techniques to identify and flag potentially harmful or inappropriate content, such as keyword matching, text classification, and machine learning algorithms. However, chatbots like GPT can produce responses that are difficult for these tools to detect, as they are not necessarily using keywords or phrases that are traditionally associated with harmful content. This can make it challenging for content moderation tools to accurately identify and flag such content.

That being said, it is important to note that chatbots like GPT are not designed to produce harmful or misinformation content. The content generated by these models is based on the data they have been trained on, and the quality of the generated content will depend on the quality of that training data.

If more services like ChatGPT were to be deployed to generate content, how do you think content moderation tools should respond?

As chatbots like GPT become more prevalent, it will be important for content moderation tools to adapt and find ways to effectively identify and flag potentially harmful content generated by these models. Here are a few potential strategies that content moderation tools could use to respond to the use of chatbots like GPT:

1. Train machine learning algorithms on a diverse and representative dataset, which can improve the accuracy of these tools. This will help the algorithms better understand the context and meaning of the content they are reviewing, and better distinguish between content that is harmful and content that is not.
2. Use multiple approaches to identify harmful content, such as keyword matching, text classification, and machine learning algorithms. This will help ensure that content is flagged for review even if it does not contain keywords or phrases that are traditionally associated with harmful content.
3. Use human review: While automated techniques can be helpful in identifying potentially harmful content, it is still important to have human reviewers who can review flagged content and make final decisions about whether it should be removed or allowed to remain on the platform.
4. Educate users about the risks of interacting with chatbots, so they understand the limitations and potential risks of interacting with chatbots like GPT. Encouraging users to be critical of the content they encounter online can help reduce the spread of misinformation and harmful content.

What are the implications of tools like ChatGPT on brand safety, especially in relation to ads appearing next to inaccurate content created by ChatGPT?

Tools like ChatGPT have the potential to create content that is inaccurate or inappropriate, which could have implications for brand safety. If a brand's advertisements appear next to content generated by ChatGPT that is inaccurate or inappropriate, it could damage the brand's reputation and credibility.

To protect their brand safety, companies should consider implementing a robust content moderation strategy that includes measures to identify and flag potentially harmful content, including content generated by chatbots like GPT. This could involve using machine learning algorithms and other automated tools to identify and flag potentially harmful content, as well as having human reviewers who can review flagged content.

It is also important for companies to collaborate with advertising platforms and media partners. Many platforms have policies and procedures in place to help prevent incidents, but it is important for companies to be proactive and work with their partners to ensure that their brand is protected.

Ok great answers and thank you, one last question...what do you think the future of brand safety and content moderation looks like?

The future of brand safety and content moderation is likely to involve a combination of advanced technology and human oversight. As the volume and complexity of online content continues to grow, it will be increasingly important for brands and content moderation tools to use advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques to help identify and evaluate content.

Another key trend in the future of brand safety and content moderation is likely to be the growing importance of collaboration and partnerships. Brands and content moderation tools may need to work closely with a range of stakeholders, including other organisations, platforms, and users, in order to effectively identify and mitigate problematic content.

Most of what ChatGPT says makes sense, however it is not all fun and games. The bot has quickly become a viral sensation, with over 1 million users typing away and absorbing the information it produces. The problem? Well, although ChatGPT is not “designed to produce harmful content” it can still “create content that is inaccurate or inappropriate” (its words, not mine). There is no doubt that in the future more scepticism and critical thinking will be paramount to navigate the world of information. How this surge in potentially harmful or inaccurate content will affect brand safety is yet to be seen. What is certain is that brands and platforms should equip themselves with solid content moderation strategies, leveraging the latest advancements in technology, whilst still having a human-in-the-loop.

If you're interested in generative AI and online safety, read about our approach to maintaining a safe digital environment even when dealing with deep fakes and misinformation.