AI washing

AI washing is a deceptive marketing tactic that consists of promoting a product or a service by exaggerating the role of artificial intelligence (AI) integration in it. It raises concerns regarding transparency, consumer trust in the AI industry, and compliance with security regulations, hampering legitimate advancements in AI. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Gary Gensler compared it to greenwashing.

Some companies have been trying to capitalize on this trend by overstating the role of AI in their offerings. In March 2024, the SEC imposed the first civil penalties on two companies, Delphia Inc and Global Predictions Inc, for misleading statements about their use of AI.