Welcome back to the special RepBlog series: “The RepUs Top 3 Changes Affecting the Public Relations Profession.” In Parts 1 and 2, we dove into the growing importance of authenticity and influencers to today’s PR scene. Today, we will conclude the series with the emerging trend that has dominated technological development and revolutionized PR as we know it: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Artificial Intelligence

AI has transformed strategic communication as a whole.PR professionals are delegating repetitive tasks to increase business-wide efficiency, preserve their bottom lines, and spend more man-hours on strategy itself. The benefits to the field are undeniable, but with apprehensions about data privacy and intellectual property, could AI become our next crisis to manage?

Let’s start by looking into the positives.

Whether dealing with a crisis or a new brand campaign, the best PR teams make every second count. AI’s quick response time and communicative innovation make it the next step in using our time wisely.

But don’t just take it from us. Nicholas Berryman, a writer at Prowly, explains that “…in a field where timeliness is everything, this kind of efficiency isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential.”

There are a multitude of ways to harness this efficiency. One example lies in AI’s ability to monitor the media. Matias Rodesvich, CEO of PRLab, explains in his article, “PR and AI: 21 ways artificial intelligence is changing the PR game,” that AI can track brand mentions across the web at “unprecedented accuracy.” Furthermore, Tim Johnson and Kat Bitterli from Deloitte explain that AI lets organizations view dashboards of key indicators in real-time to advance risk protection early.

Another benefit comes in the smaller PR tasks that add up over time. From press briefings to media lists, AI’s quick content creation can change the game for productivity.

However, this productivity is not without downsides.

Johnson and Bitterli state that “until AI can be trusted to be reliable, accurate and unbiased, all outputs must be reviewed and challenged by humans, potentially reducing efficiency savings.” And they are right. By its own nature, everything AI creates is an inspired transformation of another source. This presents a set of potential threats and ethical dilemmas.

Firstly, because AI is trained by its inputs, it is crucial for PR professionals to use caution when putting sensitive data into AI prompts. This can help prevent possible security breaches or information leaks, like Samsung’s sensitive code leak in 2023.

Conversations surrounding AI’s potential copyright infringement are also growing. Whether it is recreating photos or copying news articles, Stanford fellow David Carson warns against AI’s potential for content theft in his article, “Theft is not fair use.” Therefore, when prompting AI to generate any form of content (visual or written), it is crucial to cross-reference it for potential plagiarism, copyright, bias, or inaccuracy.

On this same note, keep an eye out for anything AI may be pulling from your company — from logos to blogs like this. Emerson Thomson Bennett, an intellectual property boutique, emphasizes this, stating: “When you put time and money into developing your brand, you should be the only one profiting from it.”

A final potential pitfall of AI is its loss of the human touch. While efficient, AI can’t replace the empathy, adaptation, and creativity of humans, so it is crucial to remain heartfelt and authentic in all of your company’s communications. And, if/when you do use AI, you can add the human element back into your communications by transparently stating your use of it and why it aided the communication process.

AI is developing as we speak, and its nuance continues to grow. However, as we adapt to PR’s changing landscape, there is no way to ignore it. Our best option is to carefully immerse ourselves in its abilities to reap the many benefits it has to offer.

That’s all, folks! Our dive into AI marks the conclusion of this 3-part series. Thank you for coming along with us as we explored the Top 3 Changes Affecting the PR industry, including the importance of authenticity and the rise of influencers. See you soon!