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Demystifying AI in PR
AI can feel like one of those topics that, although everyone has been talking about it for a long time, there are certainly still blurred lines - especially in PR - about how to use it or when to use it responsibly. After attending two webinars recently: Demystifying AI in PR and From Awareness to Action: Implementing AI Authentically in PR, one thing was clear…AI isn’t about replacing communicators, it’s about empowering them if used thoughtfully and with purpose.
Not a new story
AI has been around for decades, and machine learning as a concept was coined back in the 1970s and many of us use it daily, often without thinking about it. Think Spotify Wrapped, social media algorithms, content recommendations - it’s all AI.
The new part of this is the rise of generative AI. Unlike traditional AI, which recognises and predicts patterns, generative AI can create. It can create images, text, videos, and more. It’s more of a co-pilot.
We’re also starting to see more agentic AI which are tools that act with more autonomy to interact with the outside world and return results. This sounds powerful and perhaps dystopian, but it doesn’t come without its own risks. If an autonomous chatbot shares incorrect information about a wrong flight price, the company is still accountable.
Trust and security
Before using AI tools keep in mind privacy policies, security, and trust. If a tool doesn’t clearly communicate its data practices, it’s safest to assume that your data (and that of your clients) may be reused - so it’s best to steer clear.
For these reasons, it’s important that tool usage is agreed internally, with transparency across the team, and with expectations’ and values of clients’ being the main guidance for decisions.
Some clients will be comfortable with AI-assisted workflows whilst others won’t. Both positions are valid but warrant open and honest conversations.
Mistakes happen with AI when both sides aren’t aligned which is why its use must be based on trust. This means being clear about if AI is used including how and where it supports the work.
There’s a difference between a team experimenting with AI and implementing it within client work. Healthy organisations should encourage experimentation whilst having clear boundaries and accountability on all sides. The team shouldn’t confuse personal use of AI tools outside of work settings and professional use where risks, privacy, and security are very different.
Transparency is key
Rather than using blanket phrases of ‘we do/don’t use AI’, explain to clients how, where, and why it’s used. This will create an honest conversation whilst giving context and showing how assisted workflows can improve efficiency. It allows clients to show how you work alongside yours and their values, at the same time respecting their data and consent.
Remember one size doesn’t fit all for clients - what one client will be happy with and their attitude to AI usage is different to another which is why conversation and alignment is important.
Efficient and effective workflows
Though guidelines around use of AI in PR are still emerging, there’s no denying that many industry professionals are using AI tools that rather than being industry specific are tools that work across clients and sectors. These Large Language Models (LLMs) like Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT allow account managers to summarise long documents, reframe complex information into the best digestible format for themselves, and adjust the tone of content to suit a specific audience.
It is being seen more that AI is being used to support content rather than replace it. For example sparking inspiration for a hook or an angle rather than creating the whole thing. Or having a little bit of assistance with creating a subject line that will grab the attention of a certain recipient.
When used well, these tools - even if only used internally rather than for client work - can enhance speed and efficiency without losing the human relationship that PR is built on. Whether you use AI in PR to assist your work flow, the main takeaway is that communication, trust, transparency and honesty are key.
At Campaign, we’re all about standing out and taking the lead, and we want to ensure our clients know who they’re working with and what they’re working with. We know that this technology is always evolving and developing, which is why we are constantly reviewing our guidelines internally and creating an AI policy which takes into account developments in the area. From continuing research we are making valued and educated changes to our approach to policy and best practices as AI integration in the PR industry unfolds.
