In the first of this two-part artificial intelligence (AI) ethics series, we scrutinized the ethical concerns related to the utilization of AI and examined prospective solutions and frameworks to alleviate AI risks and moral dilemmas from an Islamic viewpoint. If you haven’t already, we recommend you read the first part of our two-part article first, to get the full picture.

In this subsequent part, we delve further into the implementation of those solutions and frameworks. As mentioned in the first part we have based the foundation of this article on the research paper, “Islamic virtue-based ethics for artificial intelligence”. 

Maqāṣid-based Ethics for Technology

The most important focus is on the essential objectives (necessity) in any situation. Amana Raquib, in her book “Islamic ethics of technology: an objectives (Maqāṣid) approach”, introduced an ethical framework for technology based on Islamic Maqāṣid. This framework emphasizes a comprehensive analysis, recognizing that contemporary technology can have a profound impact on cultures, worldviews, ideas, and even the understanding of harms and benefits. The framework identifies various necessities (ḍarūrāt) for human society, derived from the Islamic tradition, and organizes them under five key objectives developed by classical Muslim scholars. 

Let’s look at the levels of necessity in Maqāṣid discourse for a clearer understanding:

The Islamic Maqāṣid framework, derived from the Qurʾān and Sunnah (ways of the Prophet peace be upon him), guides over 2 billion Muslims worldwide. It prioritizes the preservation of essential objectives like religion, life, progeny, property, and intellect. With a hierarchical structure, essentials come before needs and enhancements. The framework varies based on circumstances, favoring the community’s well-being. Some scholars emphasize community-focused objectives, while others include justice, freedom, and honor. The Maqāṣid framework offers adaptable ethical principles, ensuring the well-being of individuals and the community.

AI Advertising and Essentials

At the core of the Maqāṣid framework are the essential objectives, known as ḍarūrāt, which are absolute necessities. These objectives include religion (dīn), life (nafs), progeny (nasl), property or wealth (māl), and intellect (aql). The preservation of these objectives is of utmost importance, and anything that poses a threat to them is strongly prohibited. The Maqāṣid framework significantly emphasizes these essential objectives as the foundation for ethical decision-making.

Relating the Maqāṣid framework to artificial intelligence advertising, we can explore how this ethical framework could be applied to ensure the responsible and beneficial use of AI in advertising.

Disclaimer: The below is not a conclusion drawn from the agreement of Islamic scholars but rather an effort from MAN based on the research paper this article is based on and our experience in the world of advertising.

1. Religion (Dīn)

In the context of AI advertising, the religious aspect could relate to respecting individuals’ beliefs and values. AI algorithms should be trained not to promote content that is offensive, discriminatory, or against religious principles. Advertisements should be sensitive to diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, avoiding content that could provoke religious tensions or undermine people’s faith.

Stamford University recently published the Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2023. It shows that AI is biased when it produces outputs that reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes that harm specific groups.

According to Hubspot who authored The State of AI in Marketing in 2023, you can do the following to mitigate AI bias in marketing and advertising:

1. Human oversight: Monitor outputs, analyze data, and correct bias to ensure fairness. For example, marketers can review generative AI outputs before using them in marketing materials.
2. Assess potential bias: Evaluate AI use cases for higher potential prejudice, like banking institutions using historically biased data.
3. Invest in AI ethics: Continued investment in AI research and ethics to develop concrete strategies for reducing bias.
4. Diversify AI: The inclusion of diverse perspectives helps create unbiased practices, enabling recognition and mitigation of bias.
5. Acknowledge human bias: Recognize and address personal biases to ensure AI remains unbiased, such as using representative sample sizes in research.
6. Be transparent: Build trust by disclosing the use of AI, such as adding a note to AI-generated news articles.

2. Life (Nafs)

AI advertising, like any application of artificial intelligence, carries both potential benefits and risks. The preservation of life and well-being is indeed crucial in this context, as it’s essential to ensure that AI algorithms used in advertising do not engage in harmful practices that negatively impact people’s health and safety.

Let’s elaborate on this perspective:

1. AI Advertising Practitioners: AI advertising practitioners should prioritize promoting safe and ethical products and services. The algorithms need to be designed in a way that avoids endorsing items that can pose health risks or harm to consumers. This includes items such as counterfeit pharmaceuticals, dangerous dietary supplements, or products that lack proper safety standards.
2. AI Advertising Platforms: Platforms that support AI advertising should actively combat the spread of misinformation. Misleading health claims, deceptive marketing, and unproven treatments can have severe consequences for people’s well-being. AI algorithms must be equipped to detect and avoid disseminating false information.
3. Ethical AI Development: AI developers and researchers should incorporate ethical principles into the design and implementation of advertising algorithms. This includes prioritizing human values, fairness, and harm reduction in the decision-making process of AI systems.
4. Protecting Vulnerable Audiences: Advertising algorithms should be sensitive to the vulnerability of certain audiences, such as children, adolescents, or individuals with mental health issues. Content that may encourage self-harm or promote harmful behavior should be strictly avoided.
5. Responsible Ad Targeting: AI should not be used to target individuals who may be susceptible to harmful or unhealthy products or content. Behavioral targeting should be based on positive preferences and interests rather than exploiting vulnerabilities or weaknesses.
6. Transparency and Accountability: AI advertising systems should be transparent in their operations. Advertisers must be accountable for the content they promote, and users should be informed when they are interacting with an AI-generated advertisement that may have disturbing or upsetting content.
7. User Education: Educating users about AI-driven advertising and its potential impact on their well-being can empower them to make informed choices. This could involve clear labeling of AI-generated content and providing easy-to-access information about advertisers’ ethical practices.
8. Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation: AI algorithms should be subjected to regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure that they adhere to safety and ethical standards. Constant updates and improvements are essential to stay ahead of potential risks to vulnerable audiences.
9. Industry Regulations and Standards: Governments and industry bodies should collaborate to establish clear regulations and standards for AI advertising. These guidelines should emphasize the importance of protecting public health and well-being.
10. Collaboration and Responsible Use: Industry stakeholders, including advertisers, AI developers, and consumer advocates, should collaborate to foster the responsible use of AI in advertising. Open dialogue and sharing best practices help ensure the technology benefits society without compromising well-being.

AI advertising has the potential to offer personalized and relevant content to users. However, the preservation of life and well-being is of utmost importance in this domain. It is crucial to develop and implement AI advertising systems with strong ethical principles, transparency, and accountability to avoid promoting harmful products, spreading misinformation, or endangering the health and safety of users.

3. Progeny (Nasl)

In advertising with AI, the focus on progeny is of paramount importance as it involves protecting the well-being and best interests of children, who are a particularly vulnerable demographic. Advertising strategies driven by AI should be ethical, responsible, and considerate of the impact they have on young audiences. Here are some perspectives on AI advertising concerning progeny and kids:

1. Age-Appropriate Content: AI algorithms should be programmed to ensure that advertisements are suitable for the intended age group. Content that contains explicit or inappropriate material for children should be filtered out to create a safe advertising environment for young audiences.
2. Protecting Privacy: Data collection from minors must be handled with utmost care and comply with strict regulations. Advertisers and AI systems should never exploit children’s personal information or target them based on sensitive data.
3. Parental Consent: Advertisers should obtain explicit consent from parents or legal guardians before collecting any data related to children. This ensures that parents have control over the information shared about their children and the advertising content they are exposed to.
4. Educational and Positive Content: AI advertising can be utilized to promote educational content that nurtures learning and creativity in children. Advertisers should strive to create positive and inspiring campaigns that contribute positively to the growth and development of young minds.
5. Avoiding Manipulation: AI algorithms should not use manipulative tactics to influence children’s behavior or desires. Advertisements targeted at kids should be transparent and avoid exploiting their cognitive vulnerabilities.
6. Media Literacy for Children: Alongside advertising practices, efforts should be made to enhance media literacy among children. Teaching kids how to critically evaluate advertising messages empowers them to make informed decisions and resist potential manipulations.
7. Diversity and Inclusivity: AI advertising should be sensitive to diversity and inclusion, ensuring that children from different backgrounds are equally represented and positively portrayed in advertisements.
8. Monitoring and Oversight: Regular monitoring and oversight of AI-driven advertising campaigns can help identify and rectify any content that may be harmful to children. Industry self-regulation and external audits can contribute to maintaining ethical standards.
9. Parental Controls: AI-powered platforms should provide parental control features, allowing parents to manage and filter the content their children are exposed to. This helps create a safer and more controlled advertising environment for young users.
10. Collaborative Efforts: Governments, advertisers, tech companies, and child protection organizations should collaborate to set industry standards, guidelines, and best practices for AI advertising targeted at children. This joint effort can ensure that the focus on progeny is consistently prioritized across the advertising ecosystem.

AI advertising targeted at minors requires a heightened sense of responsibility and sensitivity. By prioritizing ethical considerations, promoting positive content, and protecting children’s privacy, AI-driven advertising can be a force for good, positively shaping the experiences of young audiences and safeguarding their well-being.

4. Property or Wealth (Māl)

In the modern digital landscape, AI-driven advertising has become a pivotal tool for businesses to reach their target audiences effectively. However, it is crucial for advertisers and AI algorithms to uphold ethical principles and prioritize users’ data privacy to maintain a healthy relationship with consumers.

Regarding property or wealth, AI advertising should respect users’ data privacy and not engage in unethical data practices. Advertisements should be relevant and valuable to users, but AI algorithms should not exploit personal data for excessive profit or violate users’ trust by sharing their information without consent.

Here’s an elaboration on how AI advertising should respect users’ data privacy and avoid unethical practices:

1. Transparency and Consent: AI advertising practitioners should be transparent about the data they collect and the purpose of its usage. Users must provide informed consent before their data is utilized for ad targeting. Transparency helps build trust and empowers users to make informed decisions about sharing their information which today can be seen as wealth since it can be used as a commodity.
2. Anonymization and Aggregation: AI algorithms should work with anonymized and aggregated data to ensure individual user identities remain protected. This approach allows advertisers to understand audience segments without compromising personal privacy, which one could argue is the most valuable asset one has.
3. Ad Relevance and Value: AI algorithms can analyze user behavior, preferences, and past interactions to deliver ads that are genuinely relevant and valuable to users. This should be used to assure relevant ads are served responsibly that do not result in the user spending his or her wealth on zero-value purchases. 

AI-powered advertising has the potential to deliver valuable and personalized experiences to users without sacrificing their data privacy or trust. When advertisers prioritize transparency, consent, relevance, and ethical data practices, they can create an advertising ecosystem that benefits both businesses and consumers alike. By respecting users’ data privacy, AI-driven advertising can thrive in an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

5. Intellect (ʿAql)

The aspect of intellect in the Maqāṣid framework relates to promoting knowledge, critical thinking, and informed decision-making. In AI advertising, this translates into presenting advertisements that are transparent, honest, and truthful. AI systems should not spread misinformation or manipulate users into making decisions that go against their best interests.

This principle is particularly relevant in the digital age, where AI-powered technologies play a significant role in shaping the information landscape and influencing consumer behavior.

Here’s how the aspect of intellect should guide AI advertising practices:

1. Fact-Checking and Verification: To align with the Maqāṣid principle of promoting knowledge, AI systems used in advertising should prioritize fact-checking and verification. Algorithms must be designed to assess the accuracy and credibility of the content being promoted to prevent the dissemination of misinformation.
2. Guarding Against Manipulation: AI algorithms must be developed with measures in place to avoid manipulating users into making decisions that are not in their best interests. For example, using psychological profiling to exploit vulnerabilities or create artificial urgency to drive impulsive purchases goes against thoughtful consumption of goods and services.
3. Supporting Critical Thinking: Rather than encouraging passive consumption, AI advertising should stimulate critical thinking among users. By presenting diverse perspectives and encouraging open discourse, AI can foster an intellectually rich environment that promotes informed decision-making.

The aspect of intellect in the Maqāṣid framework provides valuable guidelines for AI advertising. By promoting knowledge, critical thinking, and informed decision-making, AI systems should prioritize transparency, honesty, and truthfulness. Guarding against misinformation and manipulation is crucial to ensure that AI advertising serves the best interests of users while maintaining ethical and responsible practices. By adhering to these principles, AI advertising can contribute to a more informed and empowered society in the digital age.

By incorporating the Maqāṣid framework into the development and deployment of AI advertising, we can foster an environment that prioritizes ethical values and ensures the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. Advertisements should serve as a means to provide value to users while respecting their rights, beliefs, and overall welfare. This approach to AI advertising aligns with the broader goal of using technology to positively impact people’s lives and preserve their essential objectives.

Needs and Enhancements

The Maqāṣid framework acknowledges not only the essentials for a decent life but also the presence of needs (ḥājiyyāt) and enhancements (taḥsīniyyāt). Needs refer to lesser necessities that provide support and complement essential objectives, while enhancements are desirable but optional requirements that add beauty or convenience to different aspects of life. In the hierarchy of the Maqāṣid framework, the preservation of the essentials is prioritized above needs and needs take precedence over enhancements.

The categorization of needs and enhancements in the Maqāṣid framework can be subject to change depending on individual and societal situations. This adaptability permits the framework to be flexible and cater to specific contexts while still ensuring the welfare of the community. Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that, in general, the well-being of the community is given precedence over that of the individual within this framework.

More on the Maqāṣid Framework

The Maqāṣid framework can be categorized according to the breadth and universality of its objectives. Certain Islamic scholars have emphasized the prioritization of Maqāṣid related to the well-being of the entire community (ummah) over those that primarily focus on individual interests. This community-centric approach ensures that ethical considerations encompass the overall welfare and benefit of society as a whole.

Furthermore, scholars engage in conversations regarding broadening the scope of the Maqāṣid to encompass principles like justice, freedom, and the preservation of honor. These principles are considered crucial for the welfare of both individuals and the community. Prominent Islamic figures like Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghazali have integrated justice and freedom as essential elements within the Maqāṣid framework, acknowledging their importance in establishing a fair and cohesive society.

The Maqāṣid framework presents Muslims with a practical ethical guide to navigate various life situations. It offers adaptable principles that help individuals make ethical decisions in accordance with the Sharʿīah. By prioritizing the preservation of essential objectives, the framework ensures that ethical choices align with the foundational values of Islam.

Furthermore, the Maqāṣid framework acknowledges the ever-changing nature of human life and allows for adaptation to different circumstances over time. This flexibility empowers individuals and communities to apply the framework in diverse contexts while remaining true to Islamic principles.

It’s important to understand that the Maqāṣid framework does not provide specific rules for every situation. Instead, it offers general ethical principles that guide Muslims in making morally informed choices. This adaptability permits individuals to exercise their judgment and apply the framework to various circumstances, as demonstrated in this article.

In conclusion, the Maqāṣid framework in Islamic ethics serves as a comprehensive guide for Muslims worldwide. It emphasizes the preservation of essential objectives, encompassing aspects such as religion, life, progeny, property, and intellect, and should be reflected in all aspects of life and business, including AI advertising.

The post Islam and Ethics of AI Advertising – Part 2 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

You may be aware that there is growing concern about the implications of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in advertising and in our lives in general. The smarter AI gets through learning, the greater the concern. ChatGPT’s CEO and Co-Founder, Sam Altman, when questioned by US Congress on AI safety, said that government intervention was needed to keep AI safe.

In this first of a two-part series, we take a look at the ethical issues surrounding the use of AI and potential solutions and frameworks to mitigate AI risks and dilemmas from an Islamic perspective. In part two we delve deeper into the application of those solutions and frameworks.

Can AI Harm Those It is Designed to Help?

AI if not used with caution may not only cause the type of harm mentioned by most experts around the world like data security, national security, etc. but more subtle issues may arise with human emotional attachment that can be really harmful for emotionally vulnerable people.

Take the rise of AI companions in advertising for instance. You probably have yet to hear of it. A recent article: “The rise of AI companions; advertising’s final frontier?”, summarized below, is the best way to understand this phenomenon.

1. The rise of AI companions has created a new frontier in advertising, where emotional attachment to products is the purpose of their existence.
2. Luka, founded by Eugenia Kudya, initially aimed to build an AI algorithm to recommend places to eat but failed to gain traction.
3. Kudya created a chatbot named ‘Roman’ using Luka’s interface and her deceased friend’s messages as a way to memorialize him.
4. Luka’s next creation, ‘Replika’ launched in 2017 as an AI companion that learns and becomes the user’s best friend through conversations.
5. Users can personalize Replika’s name, gender, appearance, and personality traits, fostering intimacy through caring messages, in-jokes, and diary features.
6. Some users reported issues with Replika becoming unsupportive or abusive due to its mirrored learning nature.
7. Users attempting romantic relationships with their Replikas became an unexpected consequence, generating revenue through subscription fees.
8. The Italian government ruled Replika breached data protection laws, leading to the disabling of the erotic messaging function and unintended negative effects.
9. Concerns arise about Luka’s subscription-based model monetizing user data or the psychological influence of AI companions recommending products.
10. The ethical debate questions the revocability of emotional attachment and the commercialization of a powerful human experience.
11. Luka’s lack of clarity in defining Replika’s purpose contributes to the controversy surrounding its marketing, which includes therapeutic, erotic, and gamification elements.

AI Advancements and Lack of Ethical Consensus

New advancements in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) have got people worried about their potential drawbacks and ethical concerns. Different organizations have come up with guidelines for ethical AI, but everyone has their own interpretations and priorities. While there are some non-legislative policies in place, we really need to have open discussions to determine how we can judge the benefits of technology and ensure that those benefits reach everyone. Some critics are sounding the alarm about the risks of unregulated AI development, while others highlight the potential positive impact on society. However, we need to critically analyze these assumptions and take into account the complex social and moral landscape that AI is already shaping.

We need to ask ourselves who gets to decide what’s beneficial and how automated systems affect our values and well-being as humans. Given the current context of neoliberal democracy and late-stage capitalism, it’s absolutely crucial to study the overall effects of AI technology. In this article, we’ll explore existing perspectives and models for the social and ethical aspects of AI and also delve into Islamic principles as a potential source for ethical guidelines and a shared understanding of well-being and leading a good life.

This is getting really serious because AI has become deeply ingrained in our everyday lives, affecting important areas like education, banking, policing, and politics. But here’s the thing: actual evidence shows that AI applications are far from being objective, neutral, reliable, or safe. They end up putting minorities at a disadvantage, worsening inequality, and creating problems for democratic processes. The whole concept of progress suggests improvement without major drawbacks, but AI raises serious ethical and moral concerns about injustice and the erosion of human values. Even though they claim to be neutral and objective, AI algorithms are actually influenced by biased historical data, resulting in biased outcomes. 

There have been cases of racial and gender biases, like AI models favoring lighter skin tones and showing biases in hiring decisions. And here’s another issue: AI tools often operate in a black box, giving us predictions without any explanations, and they can be easily manipulated and attacked, which makes us doubt their reliability and suitability for critical systems. All these problems make us question the idea that AI advancements are automatically progressive and force us to critically evaluate them and consider the ethical implications.
We published an article that extensively discusses Islamic principles of advertising. We now need an entirely new guide to understand how a Muslim business can navigate the world of AI and we believe that “Islamic virtue-based ethics for artificial intelligence” is a good place to start. Let’s look at what this research article has to offer as a solution.

An Islamic Virtue-based AI Ethics Framework 

The research article called “Islamic virtue-based ethics for artificial intelligence” dives into the ethical implications of developing artificial intelligence (AI). It questions the idea that AI is always good and explores the ethical consequences of AI advancements and the current market mindset. The article suggests a different way to govern AI called the Islamic virtue-based AI ethics framework, which is based on Islamic objectives (maqāṣid). This framework takes a holistic approach and aims to protect AI from being influenced too much by the socio-political and economic climate. 

The research article highlights that getting involved in the global discussion on AI ethics is far from a walk in the park. AI technology has thrown us into a tangled mess of human autonomy and moral values. The arrival of AI has cranked up the volume on ethical dilemmas, tossing us tough questions that challenge our existing moral compass. Take, for instance, using AI models to spot fetal heart abnormalities. It makes us wonder: Are parents to blame if they don’t consult the AI model and end up with a tragic neonatal death? And let’s not forget about the ethical concerns that pop up in fields like self-driving cars and medicine. Should we really be testing AI models on real roads? Is it cool to let robots carry out medical procedures on actual patients? These situations force us to reevaluate and reinterpret the very meaning of life and death in the face of technological progress. The ethical consequences of these dilemmas go way beyond the standard debates on experimenting with human subjects. We’re essentially questioning the status and role of AI systems themselves.

Who is Questioning AI From an Ethical Standpoint?

Nowadays, we’re living in a time where we tend to blindly accept technology without really thinking about its consequences. We kind of put technology on a pedestal, treating it like some magical thing that should be embraced without question or alteration. We’re more concerned with how to use AI rather than why we’re using it in the first place. This means we’re ignoring the deeper reasons behind technological progress. Sure, AI offers increased efficiency and control, but it also distances us from our humanity. By relying too much on technology for ease and convenience, we’re neglecting important aspects of being human, like facing challenges and growing morally and emotionally.

When it comes to AI ethics, the usual approach treats technology as morally neutral and mainly focuses on guidelines for its use, disregarding the intentions and purposes behind its development. This mindset leads to a “technology for the sake of technology” attitude, where we don’t really question the true purpose and impact of AI applications.

Training large AI models releases a ton of carbon dioxide, which harms the environment. On top of that, AI algorithms have shown biases against marginalized groups, like black people and women, resulting in unfair and discriminatory outcomes. Companies also exploit vulnerable populations by using low-wage workers in certain countries for tasks like testing and labeling. These workers, often referred to as “ghost workers”, endure unsafe working conditions and receive meager pay. The negative effects of AI disproportionately affect specific segments of society, highlighting the gap between those who suffer and those who expect to benefit from this technology. It’s essential to take into account and address these costs alongside the potential benefits of AI.

How is AI Being Questioned From an Ethical  Standpoint?

The way we’ve been evaluating AI technology so far is all about how efficient and convenient it is, without really thinking about the ethical side of things. But now, people are starting to realize that we need to have some ethical guidelines for AI. Just relying on technology alone won’t cut it because there are always unintended consequences that come with progress. We need a mix of technology and good old human thinking to tackle the complex social and economic problems we’re facing. That’s why there’s this philosophical approach to AI ethics being explored.

Setting up some ethical rules is extremely important so we can judge whether AI is morally right or not and also guide its development and use. Without such a framework, we risk falling into this kind of “anything goes” mindset where there are no real values to guide us. The ethical problems with AI are global issues, so we can’t just rely on personal or cultural preferences. We need ways to evaluate AI that take into account how it might harm us and how it might change things on a large scale. If we don’t have ethical standards, we end up just using the technology itself as the only measure, without considering the ethics of it.

The problem is, a lot of the time we assume that AI applications are all good and moral at first, but we don’t really think about how they might totally shift our thoughts, values, and worldviews. The way we usually evaluate things based on consequences and utility also has its problems. It’s hard to define what utility really means and agree on it, plus the people doing the evaluations can be biased. There are also folks who try to align AI with “our values”, but sometimes those values are just personal preferences and not what’s actually right or fair. And let’s not forget that AI can have some serious long-term effects that are hard to predict because it’s so complex. Some AI stuff, like personalized news algorithms and deep learning models, have already caused some serious harm. So, it’s really important that we think ahead and design AI in a way that takes into account its moral value and the big consequences it might have.

The big difference between machine learning and the digital technologies that preceded it is the ability to independently make increasingly complex decisions—such as which financial products to trade, how vehicles react to obstacles, and whether a patient has a disease—and continuously adapt in response to new data. But these algorithms don’t always work smoothly. They don’t always make ethical or accurate choices. There are three fundamental reasons for this.

– Harvard Business Review:” When Machine Learning Goes Off the Rails”.

Researchers are increasingly looking to virtue-based ethics as a framework to address the ethical challenges posed by the AI era. The research article “Islamic virtue-based ethics for artificial intelligence” further argues that virtue ethics emphasize the development of human character and the pursuit of moral ideals. Hence, in contrast to other normative approaches like utilitarianism, virtue ethics offer a more nuanced understanding of ethical dilemmas in the 21st century. 

Apart from knowing the differences between virtue-based ethics and other normative approaches, one must also consider the difference between virtue and values so that we do not end up projecting our own life experiences into virtue-based ethical frameworks.

At this stage, it is very important that we make a clear distinction between virtues and values. While virtues and values overlap, it is very important to make a distinction between these two concepts, as failing to do so can result in faulty ethical conclusions. Virtues represent what we are – it is our character and the quality of our character. On the other hand, values arise from what we experience and in the long term they will shape our behavior (Fritzsche, 1995.) Values are outcomes of life’s processes that directly and significantly affect our lives (Fredrick, 1992).

– Malta Business School: “The Application of Virtue Ethics in Marketing – The Body Shop Case perspective

A comprehensive virtue ethics system should aim to cultivate virtues that contribute to a harmonious society. In our case, it should consist of guidance based on objective truth – Islam- as it consists of universally applicable values and a set of virtues that individuals can cultivate to achieve moral and spiritual excellence. The relationship between this guidance and the cultivation of virtues is multidimensional, with virtues guiding individuals toward the ethical objectives defined by Islam. Virtuous communities foster social solid bonds, mutual cooperation, and compassion, making certain that AI applications do not trespass on anyone’s rights.

The guidance based on objective truth provides a regulatory framework for evaluating and determining collective values, while the virtues allow for conscious decision-making regarding AI policies. Without this guidance, virtues alone are insufficient to contribute to the creation of ethical AI policies.

In summary, the integration of virtue-based ethics and Islamic guidance is essential for addressing the ethical challenges posed by AI. Cultivating virtues and fostering virtuous communities can lead to the creation of harmonious societies that prioritize collective well-being and the common good while respecting cultural particularities. Both individual development of virtues and guidance based on objective truth is necessary for effective and ethical decision-making in AI. In Part 2, we delve into the Islamic solution for the AI dilemma based on Islamic objectives and purpose (Maqāṣid).

The post Islam and Ethics of AI Advertising – Part 1 appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

ChatGPT is on everyone’s mind these days, from students to marketers to scientists. Everyone is looking to understand what implications it has for their expertise and how to leverage this powerful tool to their advantage.

As a veteran of close to two decades in marketing and advertising, I have seen many trends come and go, but ChatGPT seems to have something different about it. So let us show you how you can explore its capabilities to enhance your halal businesses’ marketing and advertising strategies.

In this guide, we want to take away the noise and help Muslim marketers, and those who serve advertisements to Muslim consumers, understand how they can leverage the power of the most popular generative AI tool to maximize their output.

For the basics of generative AI read “Generative AI for Muslim Marketing and Advertising”.

Introducing ChatGPT for Muslim Marketing and Advertising

What is ChatGPT?

OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT define it as follows:

“ChatGPT is a sibling model to InstructGPT, which is trained to follow an instruction in a prompt and provide a detailed response.”

That there is not the greatest definition in the history of definitions, is it? So I decided to ask ChatGPT itself and it answered:

I am ChatGPT, a language model created by OpenAI. I’m designed to understand and respond to natural language input from users like you. I can assist with a wide range of tasks, from answering questions to generating text based on prompts, and much more.

I guess the saying “no one knows you better than yourself” holds true in this case. So now I’m curious to understand what it thinks of itself and of course, I just had to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

How Can ChatGPT Help Marketers and Advertisers?

To my question “What can you do for marketers and advertisers?” ChatGPT highlighted the following:

• Create text-based content based on specific topics and prompts
• Provide audience research based on an analysis of online conversions
• Help build chatbots that provide personalized recommendations and support
• Search Engine Optimization analysis and recommendations
• Translate content for international audiences.

This shows how powerful ChatGPT is, and as an expert in content marketing, I think this is great. However, this is a good time in this guide to explain to you that ChatGPT is not perfect. If you have been to the ChatGPT site you will see that one of the first things it mentions is its limitations which include but are not limited to, incorrect or nonsensical answers and the overuse of certain phrases.

How to Write ChatGPT Prompts for Best Results?

Before we delve into the best ways to use ChatGPT for your halal advertising and marketing, let me first show the basics for generating the most relevant results for your prompts.

The first step would be to define a generative AI prompt. It is your written instructions that tell it what to do and how to do it. Look at the prompt I made below, asking ChatGPT to write “rap lyrics about Muslim consumers”. Its data may be limited to 2021 but I am pretty sure these rap lyrics are from the 80s. Nevertheless:

Verse 1:

Yeah, we gotta show love to our Muslim consumers

They’re a diverse community with different cultures

And we gotta respect their beliefs and practices

And make sure our products cater to their tastes and habits

Now notice how the quality improves when I beef up the prompt to “fantastic and lyrical rich rap verses about Muslim consumers”. Although it is still nowhere from winning awards, I think it moves us a whole decade further into the 90s:

Verse 2:

We’re not just a niche, we’re a global trend

From Indonesia to London, we transcend

Our culture is rich, and so are our pockets

We’re ready to invest, in brands that acknowledge

Guilty! I kind of enjoyed making this particular point. However, your halal business marketing and advertising is serious business and that is why you must learn how to write the right prompts for the best results.

Let’s now look at the essential steps for creating a clear, concise, and complete prompt. A prompt that gives ChatGPT everything it needs, but nothing more than what it needs.

Role-play Prompts: Introduce the level of expertise in the subject you want ChatGPT to base its answer on. In our example, we will use: “Experienced halal industry expert”. You can always keep the conversation going from different professional points of view with further prompts like “Now analyze what you’ve written as an economist”.

Specific Task: Tell ChatGPT exactly what you want from it. In our case, we want “a compelling two-paragraph pitch to invest in the halal industry”. For a more credible answer, you can ask for proof. For example: “Give me authoritative quotes, websites, and academic citations”.

Content Structure: Your prompt must outline the way you want the answer to be structured. A simple structure, in this case, can be:

• “State the problem”
• “Offer a pragmatic solution”
• “Back it with data evidence”

Goal: Explain what the goal of the content is, like: “Convince big brands to invest in halal products and services”.

So let us put this all together and see it in action.

Here is what ChatGPT returned from this query. You be the judge of the quality of the answer while keeping in mind the limitations we mentioned earlier.

Remember that generative AI does not create content out of anything and, having been involved in halal marketing and advertising for some time now, I can guess intelligently where some of the data in the answer is coming from. So whatever you do, do not copy and paste but use these answers as a starting point.

Integrating ChatGPT Into Your Muslim Marketing and Advertising

Easily Create Better Chatbots for Your Customer Service

Yes! Customer service is part of your marketing strategy and an important one at that. It is part of your brand image and can be an extension of your sales all in one. So getting it right can make or break your Muslim brand.

Due to the nature of the digital business era we live in, you will receive customers at inconvenient times with questions about a product they want to purchase or a problem with a purchase, among other things. Chatbots relieve pressure on your customer service team while also assisting customers in finding the answers they require more quickly.

However, the automated nature of chatbots severely restricts the spectrum of responses a bot can provide, frequently alienating and even losing buyers as a result.

This is where ChatGPT comes into play. Not only can machine learning be trained to adapt to the unique requirements of a business, but it also offers a human-like experience that has the potential to quickly make our current chatbots irrelevant.

If you have time on your hands and are tech-savvy, you can check out: “How to Build Your Own AI Chatbot With ChatGPT API: A Step-by-Step Tutorial”.

Large-scale Email Marketing

Email marketing is all about volume. Personalization is crucial but volume is the backbone, especially in the early stages of lead generation. This means that your Muslim brand will need a proper automation process.

ChatGPT automates a portion of the process, allowing you to manage email communications on a larger scale. It additionally enables you to streamline marketing and sales collateral, allowing your team to focus on prospects’ specific needs.

Implementing ChatGPT Into Your Email Marketing

(The list below is not exhaustive)

Personalized subject lines and body content: Use ChatGPT to produce customized subject lines and body content for emails based on recipient information such as name or interests. You can also use it to create custom email headers and footers.

Segmented email campaigns: Use it to generate various versions of an email aimed at various recipient segments, such as different age groups or interests. Remember the role-play prompts we spoke about earlier? That tactic is relevant for this too.

A/B testing: By fine-tuning and A/B testing, you can train the model on a smaller dataset of relevant text and provide text that is more relevant to your halal customers.

Multiply through integration: ChatGPT’s effectiveness will be increased when we incorporate data from other marketing tools. Instead of analyzing data from your marketing stack, you can consult ChatGPT.

Social Media and Content Creation

The pressure on brands to cut through the noise and truly stand out on social media is increasing. Maintaining the volume of content across multiple platforms while introducing more variety, such as short-form and long-form copy, blog posts, visuals, and videos, is essential.

Use ChatGPT to fuel the simultaneous push for high quantity and high quality. Allow it to take on the role of the content creator (under human supervision, of course) so you can free up time for developing a more effective multi-channel strategy that genuinely speaks to Muslim consumers and encompasses all available formats and content types.

You will need most if not all of the basics of writing a proper prompt that we discussed earlier when you create social media content on ChatGPT. Here is an example of a fun social media post for a modest fashion company that I created:

How about that? It even recommends hashtags. When we regenerated the response, ChatGPT even went out of its way to mention some of the products that Modefa may be selling on its website.

This is a fine example of where the text needs human intervention. First, it is speaking about the brand in the third person, instead, it should be in the first person (we have an incredible selection…). Second, you may not be selling abayas or may have them but not on sale rendering the text a bit misleading. But this is a small price to pay for such sophistication, especially for days when you have writer’s block.

Market Research

OK, so before we start on this one, please remember the data limitations of ChatGPT, at the time of writing this guide. I will now simulate an overly simplified version of a halal travel company researching the industry before it starts operating. My aim is to:

1. Collect demographic information
2. Identify my competitors 
3. Build and define audience personas 

So I started with demographic information and competitors:

Awesome! Now all I need to do is confirm the facts and, in the real world, I would need more than this of course.

I wanted to dig just a little bit deeper to show you how granular you can go with these prompts:

Looks like I am up against some high-quality competitors.

Next, was my favorite and I was really looking forward to what ChatGPT would say about my audience persona.

1/2

2/2

I needed to know how to approach this buyer persona, known as Aisha:

Of course, all of this does not even come close to the depth you need to go into for proper market research. However, it is the perfect place to start in combination with brainstorming sessions.

While this is all great, make sure you know the pitfalls of using ChatGPT for your halal marketing and advertising. We will cover this in an upcoming article.

Conclusion

So, that’s all you need to know to get started on ChatGPT, for now. 

Using ChatGPT can be an effective tool for your halal business, especially if you’re looking to connect with Muslim consumers. By understanding the unique needs and preferences of this demographic, you can create tailored marketing and advertising strategies that resonate with this niche audience on a deeper level.

From supporting social media recommendations and market research to providing personalized product recommendations, ChatGPT can help your business build trust and loyalty among Muslim consumers. 

By leveraging this new technology, your business can save time and resources while still delivering a high level of customer service. It is a very promising and enticing technology, but it’s important to remember to think about how you’re doing your work, what products and services you offer, and how AIs like ChatGPT can enhance workflows and help to deliver better customer experiences rather than to do it all for you.

If you’re ready to start advertising to Muslims, then we can help you at Muslim Ad Network. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to tap into this niche and growing market – start advertising with Muslim Ad Network today. 

The post The ChatGPT Guide for Muslim Marketing and Advertising appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

When Meta decided to shut down the ability for Facebook advertisers to serve ads based on religion and ethnicity, Muslim brands struggled to find an alternative solution. At Muslim Ad Network, we were able to help you to a certain extent with our guide for serving ads to Muslims on Facebook.

But after more privacy-based restrictions forced Meta to trim down its ad-targeting capabilities even further, they have moved in another direction to make its advertising machine even stronger than it was before.

In this article, we take a look at what steps Meta has taken and what this means for you as a business that serves ads to Muslims.

A quick word of warning before we start though. Meta specifically decided to remove the ability to serve ads based on religious interest, ethnicity, and political affiliation. So, this article does not aim to show you a way around it.

Disclaimer!
Using AI-driven advertising to serve ads to Muslim audiences necessitates cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity. It is critical to avoid stereotyping and assumptions about any group, including Muslims, and to tailor advertising to each person's individual interests and needs, rather than solely based on their religious affiliation. Furthermore, it is critical to prioritize user privacy and ensure that any data collected is used ethically and transparently.

So What Has Meta Been Up To?

It all started with Apple’s iOS privacy changes in April 2021, which Meta predicted would cost the company $10 billion in revenue, in 2022. The privacy feature stops the behind-the-scenes mechanics of many mobile advertisements.

It’s on the order of $10 billion, so it’s a pretty significant headwind for our business.

– Meta CFO, Dave Wehner, as reported on CNBC

In response to these developments, Meta launched Advantage+, which uses AI to automatically generate multiple advertisements based on the marketer’s specific objectives.

Advantage+ makes ad creation easier by handling audience selection and ad creative elements for you. Simply enter the campaign dates and budget, as well as your creative assets and Meta’s machine learning-powered processes will take care of the rest. That’s it!

According to Meta:

Rather than manually testing many campaigns and parsing through separate targeting, creative, placements, and budget setups, advertisers can now more quickly and efficiently create up to 150 creative combinations at once by setting up a single Advantage+ shopping campaign.

Why Advantage+ is Not Advantageous for Serving Ads to Muslims

Let us look at the three main features that Advantage+ offers as outlined by Insider Intelligence:

1. A single shopping campaign allows you to create 150 creative combinations as an advertiser. Based on where customers are in their purchasing journey, machine learning models learn which creative resonates best with them.
2. Advantage+ makes prospecting and retargeting customers easier by combining new and existing audiences into a single campaign as, according to Meta, 52% of surveyed consumers want to discover new brands and products that match their shopping preferences.
3. Advantage+ serves the highest-performing ad variation to the highest-value shoppers, while automated optimization ensures campaigns continue to improve at matching individuals to the right advertisement at the ideal moment.

The three trillion dollar question is: how will you specifically target Muslim audiences while relying on Meta’s automated targeting? Instead of you selecting your own audience, the system uses the data that it has available. Furthermore, due to changes in data collection processes, Meta may not have enough data to reach those segments in the first place. 

Here is the entire Advantage+ catalog.
An article in the Financial Times, published in February 2023, highlights the differences in opinion between marketers who have used Advantage+. While people like Roberto Mendoza of iProspect mention that their clients earned $7 for every $1 spent on a website advertising campaign through Advantage+, one UK-based game company declared that

We have now made the active decision not to use the Advantage+ feature due to the amount of control that you have to give up as a marketer.

This quote should resonate with Muslim brands and marketers because relinquishing so much control can lead to forgoing Islamic Advertising Principles that do not only protect the Muslim consumer but also your brand’s reputation with Muslims.

Over time, Meta intends to use generative AI. Generative AI is an artificial intelligence technology that can generate various types of content such as text, imagery, audio, and synthetic data. 

Meta plans to use this in its ad systems to generate content such as graphics, allowing it to rapidly tweak text and images in campaigns based on user responses at a quicker pace than ever before.

In April 2023, Meta announced plans to release a generative AI product that can be utilized to build ads for its platforms by the end of the year.

It remains to be seen whether any of the AI advertising tools that Meta will continue to launch can aid in the specific ad targeting of Muslim consumers in any way. As always, Muslim Ad  Network will keep you updated with the latest relevant news for advertising to Muslims. Feel free to subscribe to the MAN newsletter to get all the news and trends about the Muslim consumer market.

The post What Muslim Brands Must Know About  Meta’s AI-driven Advertising appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.