Don’t let AI Misinterpret and Distort Your Company’s Message

1. Data quantity and quality

Generative AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Hence, if they rely on incomplete databases, skewed samples, or poor-quality information, they’ll likely provide you with misleading and biased outcomes, increasing the chances of AI risks in communication. 

For example, suppose you ask an AI model with limited access to information past 2000 to make an article about construction. In that case, it may fail to recognize the adverse effect of asbestos on human health and the ways to identify and deal with it. 

Likewise, data quality also plays a crucial role. If the database is too small, it may not capture the variability needed for accurate predictions. But large databases that are not adequately managed can introduce noise and result in unreliable outcomes. Balancing the quality and quantity of data in AI models is crucial to prevent AI communication misinterpretation. 

2. Human bias

One of the most common misconceptions around AI is that it is entirely objective, but this is simply not true. Humans are inherently biased, and since humans are the ones developing AI and the information that trains it, it’s not uncommon for these biases to sweep into generative artificial intelligence models. Recognizing the potential biases in AI information is crucial for avoiding AI miscommunication.

Let’s say you asked AI to write an ad copy for people in Florida. The AI will generate it in English, as it’s the primary language in the state. However, Florida is a wide state with many cultural communities, and words can have different meanings even within the same language. Failing to recognize these potential biases in languages often leads to AI communication misinterpretation. 

Besides, the lack of diversity on AI development teams is a significant concern. Having a homogeneous group of people can lead to overlooking perspectives and solutions that don’t cater to a broader audience. 

3. Algorithm complexity

AI algorithms can be highly complex, often described as “black-boxes” due to their hard-to-grasp nature for the typical business owner. While these elaborate algorithms can process vast amounts of data and identify intricate patterns that can be useful for improving SEO ranking for small businesses, this complexity can also result in AI misunderstandings.

Highly complex models can make more accurate predictions, but they are challenging to explain, which may deter certain demographic groups from engaging with your content. Likewise, this higher accuracy may modify and add information that doesn’t match your tones and values, resulting in AI communication misinterpretation. 

Also, since some models are highly adaptable to new information, they can shift their decision-making frames in unexpected ways, adding new AI risks in communication, such as misleading information or deviating the marketing content from its intended purpose. 

4. Lack of emotional and social intelligence

While artificial intelligence models are faster than we are in analyzing data and identifying patterns, they still lack the nuances that come with human emotions and social and cultural contexts. Assuming an AI model can replace your intuition often leads to decisions out of touch with your context, values, and human ethics, as well as incur AI communication misinterpretation. 

And these are not minor AI risks in communication. For instance, using AI indiscriminately to generate content for storm and water restoration services in Vero Beach may result in insensible phrasing that comes out as “aggressive” and “over-selling your services which may hinder your business reputation. 

Although each of these businesses aims to increase its income, the humans behind them recognize that individuals seeking their services are often in severe emotional distress, particularly following tropical storms, and will value support and empathy more than a practical approach. Hence, striking a balance between AI and human touch is essential when learning how to avoid AI miscommunication. 

Define your business’s critical information

The effectiveness of communication lies in understanding the other party, in this case, your business’s audience. Before asking ChatGPT to regurgitate a blog article about the most common reasons to visit an ENT, you should research your audience to tailor your messages to their preferences, needs, and aspirations. Likewise, considering the cultural nuances, demographics, interests, and communication styles is vital to avoid AI communication misinterpretation.

Set your brand’s voice and tone.

Consistent communication is key to building an effective brand image. It’s also what can help create personalized, on-point content with AI, instead of the generic, plain texts AI models often generate that can disengage with the business image you try to make. Hence, defining a brand voice and tone that is aligned with your business’s values and resonates with your audience is an effective way to avert AI risks in communication. 

Create and share a style guide.

Style guides are helpful to ensure all of your employees (or outsourced marketing services) write and create content using the same voice, writing, and branding conventions, whether it’s 100% manual or you’re leaning into AI. 

A complete style guide that includes dos and don’ts for formatting, word choice, grammar, punctuation, and spelling will become a powerful tool to prevent AI communication misinterpretation when creating content. 

With over 20 years of experience in the field, the team at Xperience Marketing has seen firsthand how technology impacts marketing, sometimes helping us and, at other times, representing things that need to be handled with care. And AI is one of them. 

Our multidisciplinary team of professionals will help you leverage and seize the opportunities that AI brings to the game, ensuring its outcomes align with your business goals, tone, and voice. We’ll also guide you on when and when not to use AI to ensure we succeed in improving SEO ranking for small businesses.