Reality Check: Exploring the Ethics, Policies & Practices of Generative AI

You likely have personal standards for appropriate uses of generative AI in your work: Grammarly for a quick clean up on a news release, ChatGPT for brainstorming, Bard for a sample event write-up, and maybe even Sora for a placeholder video in a mock-up. Does everyone in your office practice the same standards? Is Generative AI usage disclosed to your clients and stakeholders? Should it be? In this session, explore ethics and possible policy updates through a guided brainstorming session and discussion. Walk away with actionable ideas for addressing the risks and opportunities of GenAI with your team and a framework for penning an AI update to your organizational ethical guidelines.

In this session you will

• Hear about avoidable GenAI mishaps in the media
• Discover research on common themes found in Fortune 50 Companies’ “Responsible AI” policies
• Learn about highlights from the PRSA update on responsible AI usage
• Brainstorm with your colleagues about appropriate use in our offices
• Develop questions to consider as technology blazes forward
• Receive a starter framework for continuing the conversation with your colleagues

AI Disclosure: Claude was used to brainstorm ideas.

Presenter

Sarah Maben, PhD, is an associate professor at Tarleton State University’s Fort Worth, Texas, campus.. She has taught communication courses for 20 years at both public and private institutions, in hybrid, face-to-face, and online modalities. This semester she is teaching ethics and a new course on Generative AI.

Dr. Maben has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Baylor University, a master’s in journalism from the University of Georgia, and a PhD in higher education from the University of North Texas. She holds ACUE microcredentials in online instruction. Her research examines public relations, organizational listening, media ethics, and social media. Her work has appeared in Teaching Journalism & Mass Communication, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, International Journal of Listening, Southwestern Mass Communication Journal, among others. She has written chapters for the following books: Organization Listening for Strategic Communication, Contemporary Media Ethics, Recasting the Disney Princess, and Strategies for Establishing and Sustaining Social Presence in the Online Learning Environment. She is also the founding editor of The Journal of Social Media in Society, an open-source peer-reviewed publication (thejsms.org).

Prior to academia, she was a public relations professional. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with her family. She’s on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmaben/.

Location Information

Tarleton State University - Fort Worth Campus
10858 Texan Rider Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76036

Parking is free and around the building. No permit is necessary.

Directions to Campus

Located now at 10850 Texan Rider Dr. Fort Worth, Tx 76036

• Exit McPherson Boulevard from Chisholm Trail Parkway
• Travel west on McPherson Boulevard to the roundabout
• Turn left (south) on Brewer Boulevard
• Continue on Brewer Boulevard for approximately 3 miles
• Turn left on Worth Creek Parkway
• Turn right on Tarleton Way
• Turn left on Texan Rider Drive and follow parking signs

Our campus is a vibrant learning community that has been educating students in the Fort Worth area for more than 30 years. We provide a variety of courses within multiple undergraduate and graduate fields of study for our students. With a diverse student population comprised of many working adults, we make sure our campus is accessible for all with face-to-face, blended, and online courses. Additionally, we offer evening, day, and weekend course options to accommodate both part-time and full-time schedules.

Thanks to an 80-acre donation by the Walton Group of Companies and $39.6 million in bond revenues provided by the Texas Legislature, our new campus is along the Chisholm Trail Tollway. (see Fort Worth Master Plan)