Role of AI in climate change communication: Implications on understanding and trust in climate science

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as a major contemporary global concern, especially as the scientific consensus on anthropogenic causes grows. Extreme climate events continue worsening as global temperatures increase, leading to loss of human lives and slow economic progression at the global level, with the Global South being the most affected. However, despite the notable challenges caused by climate change, concern from the public and policymakers often does not match the magnitude of the impact of climate change. Amidst such concerns,artificial intelligence emerges as a powerful tool for climate change communication, with its integration fostering understanding, concern, and trust in climate science. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence, catalysed by OpenAI’s introduction of ChatGPT,revolutionised the way climate science is communicated to the public, although it came with challenges for communicators. This study, therefore, sought to explore Zimbabwean legislators’ perception of the role of AI in climate change communication and its implications on trust in climate science. The study also intended to determine policymakers’ perceptions of the challenges associated with the integration of AI in climate change communication in Zimbabwe. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews targeting Zimbabwean parliamentarians. The impetus of this study arose from a dearth of literature on the application of AI in strategic climate change communication and its implications for audience understanding and trust in climate science. The qualitative thematic analysis revealed three key perspectives: AI as an effective tool for enhancing public climate change communication and fostering trust through its fact-checking capabilities; skepticism towards AI due to perceived complexity and concerns over Western epistemic dominance; and AI as a potential conduit for climate misinformation in the hands of contrarians, thereby undermining public trust in climate science. These perspectives have an impact on parliamentarians' behavioural intention to support AI policies.