By Rich Murphy, CEO
We recently announced that the Ethical AI Certification is now included in AAM membership for all publishers. I want to provide some insight into how and why we got here.
AAM is a membership organization, which means that we love talking with our members to learn about their successes, challenges and new ideas. Over the past year, one topic kept popping up in all three of those areas. You guessed it – AI.
Publishers are all grappling with similar questions as they implement AI in their organizations. What is the right amount of disclosure when we use AI? How do we establish strong internal and external AI policies? How do we make sure we’re not losing trust with audiences or advertisers?
We took this feedback to develop the Eight Pillars of Ethical AI to guide responsible AI implementation across key areas including transparency, governance, bias and fairness, privacy and human oversight. AAM’s framework also integrates elements of the IAB’s AI Transparency and Disclosure Framework to strengthen consumer-facing disclosures and help publishers keep pace with broader efforts to define how AI use should be communicated and governed.
Built on this foundation, AAM’s Ethical AI Certification provides a structured way for publishers to demonstrate how AI is implemented and governed across their organizations.
Including the certification in AAM publisher membership recognizes the significance of this initiative for the industry. This ensures more publishers have access to the tools and guidance needed to implement responsible AI practices and demonstrate transparency in a consistent, credible way. The certification seal signals transparency, responsible practices and quality environments to audiences and advertisers.
Looking Ahead
This work is part of AAM’s broader focus to help publishers demonstrate value and authenticity in an increasingly complex media environment. We will continue to collaborate with our members, board of directors and industry partners to develop solutions that address evolving industry needs and strengthen transparency through independent assurance. Member feedback remains essential to shaping how we approach these challenges and build a more accountable and trusted media ecosystem.
If you’re interested in learning more about this member benefit, I invite you to join our upcoming webinar on May 7, Ethical AI: A Framework for Maintaining Audience and Advertiser Trust, where we’ll explore the framework, share real-world examples and provide an overview of the certification and how to get started.
