AI Generated Labels Will Protect Users, Boost Digital Literacy - Experts

By Siti Baaqiah Mamat

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Using AI Generated labels on all content produced by artificial intelligence (AI) will protect users from digital fraud and online safety threats.

Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation Cyber Security Committee deputy chairman Lt Col (R) Mustaffa Ahmad said such labels could serve as an early warning to users in identifying any content, and boost digital literacy among the public as many still find it hard to differentiate between original content and those manipulated or produced completely by AI.

“So this labelling is very important to protect users who are easily exposed to digital fraud, especially senior citizens.

“For instance, there was a viral AI video of a new tourist location with a cable car that deceived an elderly citizen into going there but the place didn’t really exist. So it’s not just a technology issue, but about user safety and protection,” he told Bernama.

He said the labels would serve as an education tool for the public so that users would be careful about information shared or viewed on social media.

Meanwhile, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Department of Information Security and Web Technology senior lecturer Dr Noor Zuraidin Mohd Safar stressed on the importance of clear and complete guidelines to ensure the effectiveness of the labels and to avoid confusion among users and industry players.

Without a clear definition, labels like ‘AI Generated’ risked to be misinterpreted and would affect the confidence of users and the creative industry, she cautioned.

“The government has to set a clear definition on what is considered AI content. Is it only content produced completely by AI or includes content that uses AI for an early draft, idea or title,” she said, adding that the guidelines would also help avoid too stringent use that would end up stifling creativity, especially among independent content creators and small companies using AI as support tools.

She pointed out that clear guidelines would help digital platforms and content providers comply with legal provisions more systematically.

“Without uniform standards, implementation will be difficult. IT can also cause different interpretations between platforms, what more if the content is shared across countries’ borders,” she said.

-- BERNAMA