I’ll start by saying that this blog was written by a human, not artificial intelligence (AI). However, research is showing that the use of AI in PR is increasing, especially with certain administrative focused tasks such as social media management, data analytics, and media monitoring. With that being said, there are still areas where AI can’t match human performance.
This is the first in a series of blogs that will explore the changes within the industry when it comes to AI, and deeper dives into specific areas in relation to new tools and their use.
There are of course pros and cons of using AI tools in the industry and at a point where tools are becoming more accessible, we wanted to explore some things to keep in mind.
Pros and cons of AI in PR
Let’s start with the good…
- Saves time and cost of administrative tasks - in a time where people are wanting to be more efficient than ever, research is confirming that there are many tools that are helping professionals to do exactly that
- Offers creativity - just like brainstorming with the team, sometimes you just need that spark of creativity to get started, and ChatGPT can offer that spark
- Learn something new - it’s always good to be open to new ideas and information so this is a chance to embrace newness
- Scalability and volume - if we take small steps to using AI better, we can do more and also find new ways of working
On the other hand some things to be mindful of are…
- Misinformation - AI doesn’t know everything, so output must always be checked and verified
- Ethics/privacy - of course, we need to protect our information and that of our clients, so we need to use tools but keep in mind that we aren’t sharing anything too private or confidential
- Copyright and plagiarism - this one is simple, but of course we aren’t suggesting that we create contact and copy and paste everything straight from ChatGPT
- Disconnect between education and practice - imagine if AI imploded and the internet went down, could we still do our job - if yes, this is a good thing
The task at hand
The most common tasks that PR professionals are utilising AI for are social media management, data analytics, keyword research and media monitoring - which isn’t hugely surprising.
On the other end of the spectrum is partnerships, which people are not and hopefully cannot use AI for. According to research by the CIPR in 2023, 50% of respondents said they are using AI for content creation, which can include creating press releases, social media plans, and pitch notes.
Some other tasks that can be done with assistance from AI is coverage management, media outreach preparation, performance measurement, and helping with the visualisation of ideas to showcase to clients.
Thankfully, we’re not seeing job replacement, instead task execution is becoming more efficient and effective. Of course part of the impact is having to keep up with how people, agencies, and journalists are declaring the use of AI. Will we get to a point of including a disclaimer in emails, press releases etc, like when we see ‘AI assisted journalists’ in bylines?
Be smart(ificially intelligent)
There are many things to consider when utilising AI tools, but these few tips and tricks will ensure that you’re working with AI rather than AI working for you.
Do
- Start small - use AI for small projects, like writing a pitch note or getting inspiration for campaigns - learn more about the tools and then see how you can use them further
- Fact check - AI is so valuable with client or new business research to find out more about them, their audience, and their competitors. But don’t forget to fact check
- Summarise - researching for social plans or need a statistic to include in a press release? Copy and paste the details into ChatGPT and ask for the summary in a way that you want to see it
- Get inspiration - brain fog gets us all, but AI can be a great source of inspiration. For new clients or existing ones that need some new ideas, it’s great to get the ball rolling
Don’t
- Overestimate AI models - for us to use them to our advantage we can’t expect them to do everything for us, instead we want AI to complement what we are doing
- Share private info - consider what you are feeding to public AI tools, make sure you have permission to train the model using data
- Be ignorant - it’s essential to remember that we all have different skill-sets and experiences. Some people may be more cautious about using AI - we need to adapt but be understanding of these concerns because essentially it is a cultural change and we need to all be comfortable with our use
The conversation around AI in PR is only just beginning, and with the topic being at the top of the agenda in more research, industry events, and meetings with clients it’s something that will continue.
