Skip to main content
Log in

Terminology, AI bias, and the risks of current digital public diplomacy practices

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Place Branding and Public Diplomacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) bias and digital public diplomacy based on terminology use in three ChatGPT dialogues we initiated. AI bias is discursively constructed through rhetoric and narrative, presenting how users and algorithm designers perceive social reality. These elements of language then spread through Internet technology. This study examined the potential threat of AI bias in constructing knowledge in the digital age. Indeed, AI bias arising from terminology use can shake up the decision-making and communication practices of public diplomacy, especially the formulation and implementation of advocacy. We identified two potential types of bias: (a) the content provided by ChatGPT reflects a set of opinions with a particular orientation that does not account for the multiplicity of viewpoints on complex geopolitical issues, and (b) the answers given by generative AI tools tend to be affirmative views that are not subject to argumentation, justification, and reflection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Both “Tiananmen Massacre” and “Tiananmen Event” come from Western sources and have been censured by the Chinese government. Beijing has framed the event as a riot using phrases such as “counter-revolutionary riots” (The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China 2009, para. 1), “riot” (para. 1), “the June 4 storm” (People’s Daily 2001, title), “the political storm at the turn of the spring and summer of 1989” (Economic Daily 2015, para.9), and “the political turmoil of 1989” (China Radio International 2007, para. 1).

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhao Alexandre Huang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huang, Z.A. Terminology, AI bias, and the risks of current digital public diplomacy practices. Place Brand Public Dipl (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-024-00324-x

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-024-00324-x

Keywords

Navigation