A new report from the United Nations (UN) and the Conscious Advertising Network warns that the unregulated integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into advertising is significantly heightening risks within the global digital information ecosystem. The report, titled Strengthening Information Integrity: Advertising, Artificial Intelligence and the Global Information Crisis, was released by the UN Department of Global Communications.
The advertising sector plays a crucial role in shaping online information, as its financial decisions influence content creation, distribution, and how it is monetized. The increasing use of AI tools in media buying and content production processes is intensifying these dynamics.
Charlotte Scaddan, Senior Advisor on Information Integrity for the UN, stated, “Advertising funds the systems that shape what people see, trust, and believe. Without swift action and controls, AI risks accelerating the degradation of the information ecosystem’s integrity. Advertisers have the power to fix this.”
Rising Risks Highlighted
The report points out that AI is speeding up the dissemination of disinformation, hate speech, and polarizing content. Additionally, AI-driven advertising systems are raising serious concerns regarding a lack of transparency, the prevalence of fraud, and overall inefficiency.
The proliferation of AI-generated content, according to the report, poses a threat to the financial sustainability of independent journalism. A growing erosion of trust in digital environments is already diminishing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
These trends are identified not only as societal challenges but also as direct commercial risks. When audiences lose faith in the platforms where advertisements are displayed, user engagement declines, directly impacting the return on investment for advertisers.
Harriet Kingaby of the Conscious Advertising Network commented, “Brands are under pressure to move fast on AI, but doing so without controls risks undermining the environments their marketing relies on. This isn’t about slowing innovation; it’s about ensuring it works for business and society.”
Urgent Call to Action
The UN report urges policymakers to harmonize governance frameworks for AI and advertising with international information integrity standards. It also calls for collaboration between the industry and civil society to improve transparency.
Advertisers are encouraged to utilize their significant financial influence to demand greater transparency in AI supply chains. They are also advised to prioritize high-quality media environments and to press platforms to implement more robust safeguards for both users and consumers.
Evidence within the report suggests that enhancing transparency in media buying can lead to substantial improvements in advertising performance, demonstrating that responsible practices can align with positive business outcomes.
