Photo Credit | Emily Tyler, A.J. Chauffe
Editor’s Note: The following is an editorial, which is the opinion of the paper on a controversial topic or issue.
Last semester, Arkansas Tech University began using generative AI to create ads for social media. However, these ads were met with pushback from students who were concerned about the ethical and professional standards involved. This includes a petition on Change.org, titled “Remove AI from ATU’s social media marketing,” which has currently garnered 73 signatures.
We at The Arka-Tech believe that ATU should stop using generative AI in advertisements due to the ethical concerns regarding the technology, the unprofessional light in which they show ATU, and the opportunities they take away from student photographers and designers.
The biggest question we have is this: why are we using AI ads when we have some of the best programs in the state?
While an AI ad might make sense if we are advertising our programming or computer science departments, we should be using photos to showcase the classes and resources the university offers.
For example, using AI ads for our robotics department devalues the fact we have the best robotics team in the nation, and second in the world. Moreover, using it to advertise our agricultural and wildlife departments makes it seem like ATU does not have anything real to show, even though it does.
An AI ad promoting the robotics department.
Using photography, as we have in the past, would also provide hands-on experience for students learning media and faculty looking to strengthen their careers. While it might be more expensive to hire a staff than to use AI, it should be noted that ATU’s main purpose is to provide its students with a quality education. Furthermore, the university might be losing money by using a less effective form of advertising.
An AI ad promoting ATU’s agricultural department.
This does not mean that AI is inherently bad. Like the internet, it can be a helpful tool when used responsibly. However, because its use at this scale is new, exercising caution and critical reasoning is crucial while studying its impacts.
While experimentation is a necessary step in understanding AI, using it to create advertisements for the university has not been effective or ethical.
An AI ad for ATU’s Engineering Department
For example, comments under these ads on Facebook have shown disapproval and reflect a desire for them to stop.
On the other hand, because of generative AI’s nature, we cannot guarantee that it is sourcing its reference images from consenting artists or photographers: potentially resulting in legal issues as the law surrounding AI develops.
In a world where knowing what’s real is becoming increasingly difficult to discern, we believe that ATU should focus on showing that they have real, quality programs instead of hiding them behind the cheap veil of generative AI.
