Bridging AI ethics between communication and computer science: a care ethics approach to foster organization-public relationships

Purpose Ethics enables organizations to effectively resolve dilemmas while acting socially responsible. This study aims to examine how current communication practices involving AI technologies align with domain-specific Generative AI (GenAI) guidelines to foster the quality of organizational-public relationships (OPR). Design/methodology/approach The discussion on ethical principles governing AI in computer science, along with the conceptualization of OPR linked to professional codes of ethics, informed by the feminist philosophy known as the ethics of care, contributes to the development of a proposed AI ethics framework to foster OPR. Drawing upon this framework, the use of content analysis to unpack industry discourse reveals the extent to which the industry’s understanding of GenAI ethics aligns with this proposed framework. The implications of implementing this framework to foster OPR are discussed. Findings Communication professionals view social responsibility and authenticity crucial for ensuring ethical AI practice, with truthfulness, respect and equity following closely. However, adherence to ethical AI use in communication depends on the implementation of explainability, accuracy, fairness and machine autonomy in computer science. Embracing the ethics of care to integrate these ethical principles into the current AI ethics framework in communication becomes crucial for easing this tension. Originality/value The proposed AI ethics framework bridges AI ethics between communication and computer science by capturing social responsibility, authenticity, truthfulness, respect and equity. This framework helps shape professional codes of ethics to address challenges in the rapidly evolving AI-driven communication landscape and advocates for the engineering of responsible AI tools to foster quality OPR. The outcomes advance cross-disciplinary research and cross-sectoral practices of AI ethics by leveraging the ethics of care, thereby connecting AI ethics across computer science and other fields.