For AI to become part of the everyday, we’ve got to put more of our everyday into it

Right now, it seems as if an hour doesn’t pass in my waking day without a reference to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Its impact on culture cannot be overstated. There are numerous opportunities for AI to enhance our lives but according to a 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, only 32 per cent of the public feel they have control over how AI affects their lives.

For AI to become part of our every day and gain widespread acceptance, the data also found it must be shown to bring a better future, be vetted by scientists and give us all greater control of its impact. 

Successfully weaving AI into the social fabric involves - amongst many things - understanding its role in preserving cultural diversity, bridging societal divides, and fostering community cohesion.

Preserving diversity

Trust in AI remains a significant hurdle. It’s particularly low amongst women (47 per cent), those aged 55 and above (39 per cent), and from lower income brackets (47 per cent). The main concerns from those who feel less than enthusiastic about AI is that it could compromise their privacy (39 per cent) or devalue what it means to be human (36 per cent).

One of AI’s most promising applications is its ability to preserve and celebrate cultural diversity. AI technologies can document and archive endangered languages, traditions, and art forms, ensuring they are not lost to time. For example, AI can help create digital repositories of oral histories, traditional music, and rituals, making them accessible to future generations.

This not only preserves cultural heritage but also fosters a greater appreciation of the rich diversity within our global community.

Bridging divides

AI has the potential to bridge societal divides by promoting understanding and empathy. AI-powered platforms can facilitate dialogue between diverse groups, helping to break down stereotypes and reduce polarisation. For instance, AI can analyse vast amounts of data to identify common ground among seemingly disparate groups, fostering more inclusive and constructive conversations.

Despite these benefits, the Trust data reveals many people feel disillusioned with the governance of AI innovation - a mere 34 per cent are confident in its regulation.

Greater optimism among those who are less than enthusiastic about AI could be achieved if they could trust businesses to thoroughly test it (48 per cent); governments to ensure it is implemented safely (46 per cent); media to provide accurate, unbiased analysis (40 per cent); and NGOs to work with local authorities to deal with its impact (38 per cent).

Fostering cohesion

At the local level, AI can play a pivotal role in fostering community cohesion. AI-powered platforms can enhance community engagement by gathering input from residents, analysing data to identify common concerns, and prioritizing community projects. This ensures that local initiatives reflect the community’s needs and promote a sense of shared purpose.

For example, an AI-driven community engagement platform can help residents participate in local decision-making processes, from urban planning to public services.

Building Trust and Enthusiasm for AI

For AI to successfully permeate culture, it is crucial to highlight its social and personal benefits while addressing potential risks. Edelman’s core philosophy when it comes to AI is that every interaction needs to be a trustworthy one. Integrating the everyday into AI demands strategies that involve:

• Building public involvement in real-world problems: Engaging the public in the development of transformative ‘Killer’ AI applications ensures these technologies address real-world problems, fostering acceptance and reducing resistance.

• Highlighting societal benefits such as public welfare: Highlighting the positive impact of AI in sectors like healthcare and civil society can shift the narrative towards AI as a tool for enhancing quality-of-life, addressing societal challenges, and demonstrating its potential for public good.

• Democratising access and preventing elitism: Ensuring inclusive development and broad access to AI technologies helps prevent AI from becoming a tool that primarily benefits the elite, promoting education, training, and equitable policies to mitigate social inequalities.

• Greater collaboration with government in producing ethical frameworks: Partnerships with governments are essential for creating regulatory frameworks that guide the ethical use of AI, ensuring transparency, accountability, and alignment with public interests to promote a more widespread understanding of the benefits.

• Verification, defence, and data integrity: Implementing verification systems to authenticate content, establishing defence measures against malicious AI use, and ensuring clean, unbiased data sets are crucial steps in building trust, protecting privacy, and maintaining ethical AI deployment.

In a recent speech to G7 leaders, Pope Francis said “We cannot doubt that the advent of artificial intelligence represents a true cognitive-industrial revolution, which will contribute to the creation of a new social system characterised by complex epochal transformations.”

He also warned that AI threatens "human dignity itself". So much promise. Such peril.

In order to get more humanity out of AI, we’ve got to put more of humanity into it.

Satyen Dayal is the managing director of technology at Edelman UK