The guiding principles aim to provide a framework for the use of AI and generative AI in market research, and cover the strategic, ethical and responsible use of AI tools.

Areas covered by the principles include transparency, data security, protecting participants from harm, minimising bias and oversight.

Among the proposals in the document is that organisations should extend existing research ethics processes to explicitly incorporate AI-related considerations, which the document argues would help to make sure that AI governance is aligned with the same level of rigour applied to traditional research ethics.

The addenda are aimed at strengthening rather than fundamentally changing the guiding principles, and were updated by the AI Ethics Subcommittee of the CRIC AI Committee.

Margaret Brigley, chair of CRIC and the CRIC Standards Committee, said: “The enhanced Guiding Principles are designed to continue to encourage the responsible use of AI in compliance with CRIC standards.”