Leading Ethically in the Age of Synthetic Content

In this day and age, seeing is no longer believing.

The digital world is constantly changing as generative AI blurs the line between reality and fiction.

Deepfake videos can imitate anyone. AI articles can spread fake news.

And now, the truth itself is under attack.

For leaders in business, media, government, and education, this creates a big challenge: How can a leader stop misinformation and loss of trust in the AI era?

In this article, we'll explore how to lead ethically in the age of synthetic content.

Before we dive into solutions, let's start with the basics by defining synthetic content.

What is Synthetic Content?

Synthetic content refers to AI-generated media. This includes AI text, video, audio, or image.

ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Synthesia are some examples of AI tools. They've made content creation available for anyone. Now, any of us can produce media like hyper-realistic videos in a snap.

While these tools can be used for creativity and education, they can also be misused. For instance, deepfakes can copy public figures to spread propaganda.

The point is, AI-generated content can spread fake news. Even marketing content, if not disclosed as AI-generated, can make you lose people's trust.

But as AI technology develops, the more we become reliant on them.

The question, then, is not whether we should use these tools, but how we can use them responsibly.

The Ethical Question for Modern Leaders

Synthetic content raises questions that leaders must confront head-on.

AI can generate high-quality content very quickly. But when leaders rely too heavily on AI, they risk losing people's trust.

If your message is crafted entirely by AI, what does that say about your values?

Ideally, disclosing that content is AI-generated is the best way to gain people's trust. But it might also make you seem less creative or unoriginal.

To avoid this, some businesses might choose not to disclose. This can give them quick wins. But in the long run, it can damage their reputation.

AI-generated art can also blur ownership. Who owns the rights: the user, the platform, or the model's creators? More importantly, who takes responsibility when AI output harms others?

Leaders must answer not only what is possible but what is right.

AI's promise of efficiency can be attractive. This is why it can be tempting to rely on it.

But at what point does persuasion become deception?

The Trust Crisis

The explosion of synthetic content has triggered a global crisis of trust. Studies show that trust in AI and digital media is falling.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) conducted a recent survey on AI. They reported that 39% of adults in the UK believe that AI is a “risk for the economy”. In this same survey, 38% said they don’t trust AI at all.

Because when anyone can fake a voice, statement, or image, trust becomes the most valuable and fragile currency.

This means that ethics must take center stage.

Leading ethically means not only telling the truth but also protecting it.

Do AI-Generated Videos Compromise Reality?

Among all forms of AI content, AI video is likely the most debated.

AI video models can now create realistic videos using only text prompts.

Many businesses see this as a way to boost efficiency and cut costs. But AI video also poses serious risks that they often ignore.

For example, AI political ads can undermine democracy. Deepfake videos can ruin people's reputations. Fake CCTV footage can create false accusations.

This is why strict video content policies are important. These include:

• Labelling all AI-generated videos.
• Avoiding cloning real people.
• Using AI video only for constructive storytelling.

The ethical use of AI video is essential to upholding and protecting truth and dignity.

But it’s important to remember that AI video itself is not harmful. When used responsibly, it can be a powerful tool.

For instance, AI can create training videos that explain complex topics in simple ways, or generate other forms of the same content for people with disabilities.

AI video can also enhance creativity. AI text-to-video, for example, can be used by filmmakers, educators, and content creators to produce ideas and experiments that were previously too expensive or technically difficult.

The ethics of the technology itself depends on how humans choose to use it.

Redefining Leadership in the AI Era

Leaders need to be guardians of the truth. This cannot be emphasized more in the era of AI.

To lead ethically, they should be open. They need to show when AI is part of their communication or decisions.

They must also educate their teams and ensure that employees understand both the power and risks of generative AI.

They also need to set policies for the responsible use of AI that align with their values.

Lastly, they should promote accountability. This means holding everyone responsible for the content they create and share.

In short, leaders must be as ethical as they are innovative. It's not enough to know how AI works. They also need to understand how it affects human trust, privacy, and dignity.

Building Ethical Guidelines

To be an ethical leader, you need strong guidelines that promote responsibility. Some things to consider:

1. Transparency

Always disclose when content is made or modified by AI. You can do this using disclaimers, metadata tags, or watermarks.

Transparency is important for trust and credibility.

2. Consent and Fair Use

Generative AI relies on data on the internet, like people's images, writing, and even voices.

Leaders need to make sure that these are used responsibly.

3. Accountability

Ethical leaders don't hide behind technology. They ask questions like:

If AI-generated fake news spreads, who is responsible: the user, the platform, or the business?

4. Data Integrity

AI systems can reflect and amplify bias. Leaders should demand regular audits of the models they use to make sure they're used responsibly.

5. Human Oversight

Humans must always have the final say. Human editing is the most important checkpoint before content is put out.

The Role of the Law

Governments are now starting to address concerns about AI-generated content.

For example, the European Union's AI Act requires watermarks for AI media. In the United Kingdom, specifically, laws on AI content are also being passed.

The UK government has taken a "pro-innovation" but cautious approach in its 2023 AI Regulation White Paper. Rather than creating a single AI law, the UK is giving existing regulators—such as the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)—the authority to oversee the use of AI within their sectors.

AI-generated content also falls under several existing UK laws, including:

• Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) and the UK GDPR, which regulate the use of personal data, including likenesses or voices that AI might replicate.
• Online Safety Act 2023, which gives Ofcom new powers to hold online platforms accountable for harmful or misleading AI-generated media, such as deepfakes or misinformation.
• The Defamation Act 2013 applies to individuals or organizations that spread harmful, AI-generated, fake defamatory content about others.
• The Fraud Act 2006 covers malicious uses of fake content for deception or scams.

The UK has also established the AI Security Institute to minimise the impact of “unexpected” development from the rapid advancement of AI. This shows a growing commitment to public protection from generative AI.

But laws alone are not enough to ensure the responsible use of AI.

Leaders need to go beyond following rules—they need to build a culture of accountability. Policies set the floor, but ethics set the ceiling.

Tools for Verification

Companies and research labs are now creating tools like advanced watermarking, provenance trackers, and blockchain systems to check if content is real or made by AI.

Using these tools can also protect a brand's reputation, especially in areas like journalism and healthcare. These are fields where fake news can be very harmful.

For example, Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) adds tamper-proof metadata to images and videos, showing their origin and edits. The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) is also working on global standards to verify media authenticity.

Leaders should use these tools to show transparency and stop the spread of misinformation. This keeps facts and information a public good, not a weapon.

Communication

For leaders, the challenge isn't just creating content responsibly. It's also communicating clearly and honestly.

Leaders should follow clear communication rules. One key rule is radical transparency. They need to explain how AI is used in messaging, research, and customer interactions.

Contextual honesty is also important. Even if the content is technically correct, it shouldn't be presented in a misleading way.

In the AI era, honesty is a valuable brand asset. It helps ethical organizations stand out from those chasing only short-term gains.

AI Literacy in the Workforce

Ethical literacy is key in the workplace. It means understanding the moral impacts of AI and synthetic content.

Training programs that show employees how to spot, use, and share synthetic content responsibly help achieve this. Another solution is forming cross-functional ethics teams with technologists, communicators, and legal experts.

The Moral Compass of the Future Leader

Leadership, in essence, means protecting the truth; not controlling the narrative.

Genuine storytelling, lived experience, and moral clarity will define successful leaders in the AI age.

As synthetic content grows, a paradox appears: the more artificial our world is, the harder it is to keep our humanity.

Ethical leadership means reminding us what it is to be human. Technology can replicate many things, but it can't replicate our conscience.

Conclusion

Synthetic content is rewriting the rules of communication, creativity, and credibility. It helps us come up with a multitude of ideas and expressions—but it also challenges the very foundation of truth.

The ethical leader of the future, therefore, doesn't ask, "Can we create this?" but "Should we?"

Ethical leadership, in the end, means defending humanity's most precious resource: the truth.

About the author

Joyce Isidro is VEED.io’s SEO Outreach Blogger. VEED.IO is an online video editor with a suite of AI-powered tools for creating and editing videos, including features like auto-subtitling, background noise removal, and text-to-speech.