Ethical Integration in AI for Crisis Communication: An International Project in the U.S. and European Countries

Yan Jin (Co-PI), Philippe Borremans (Co-PI), Wenqing Zhao (Co-PI, doctoral student), Nicole Cortes (Co-PI, undergraduate student). “Ethical Integration in AI for Crisis Communication: An International Project in the U.S. and European Countries.” 2024 call for Scholar/Practitioner Collaborations, Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication. $10,000. (PI: Yang Cheng, Jaekuk Lee, North Carolina State University).

Abstract: This research project aims to explore the integration of ethics in utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for crisis communication during environmental crises. Focusing on a study in both the U.S. and European countries, particularly in the context of recurring public crisis such as natural disasters and environmental emergencies such as wildfires and flooding, the research investigates how crisis and risk messages created with or by AI are perceived and trusted by various stakeholders, including emergency management practitioners and the general public. The study will employ a multi-phase cross-national survey approach, comprising (1) a survey among crisis communication practitioners and (2) a survey among the general public in the U.S. and Europe living in wildfire and flooding high-risk areas. In the general public survey phase, the inclusion or exclusion of the disclosure of whether an emergency message is generated by AI will be included in one set of questions based on wildfire and flooding situations. By incorporating ethical considerations, such as transparency, privacy, and accountability, the project seeks to develop practical guidelines for communication professionals, bridging the gap between AI usage and ethical communication standards in public emergency management. The collaborative nature of the research involves partnerships between academic researchers specializing in crisis communication and AI ethics, along with practitioners from leading communication firms and communication departments in disaster and emergency response agencies. This interdisciplinary collaboration ensures a comprehensive exploration of the proposed objectives, enhancing the practical applicability of the research findings.