AI Might Solve Public Relations’ PR Problem

When you tell someone outside the industry you work in PR, many, if not most, envision you walking the red carpet with celebrities or managing high-stakes crises. While these are areas of expertise for some in the profession, today's PR landscape is a multifaceted matrix of roles, responsibilities, and blurred boundaries between earned, paid, owned, and shared media. How an organization looks at PR might focus solely on media relations, influencer and creator work, content creation, or corporate communications -- or it could be a mix of those things or none of those things. This complexity and the industry's internal struggles have ironically led to a PR problem for the industry itself.

Stuck somewhere between traditional practices and the digital revolution, the lack of clarity has resulted in PR becoming an afterthought, with initiatives and campaigns handed over at the eleventh hour or PR pros seen as the "hey, write a press release for us" people. But relegating PR to the sidelines is a missed opportunity if not a critical mistake. In an era where brand reputation can make or break a company, the strategic value of PR has never been more, and we might be at a truly transformative time for the profession where we can demonstrate that value.?

An Industry Ready for Change

As mentioned, PR has been navigating its existential crisis for the better part of two decades, caught between old-school tactics, evolving social media landscapes, and the challenge of defining its role -- or sometimes even having a role -- alongside marketing and advertising.?

But as the industry stands at a crossroads, in comes massive developments in AI, specifically generative AI.?

The term “artificial intelligence” surfaced in the 1950s, and pioneers like Leonardo Torres Quevedo were introducing basic elements of AI as far back as 1914. But we can look back as far as the 1700s and see Jonathan Swift dream up and describe a then-fictional device that can enable “the most ignorant person, at a reasonable charge, and with a little bodily labor, might write books in philosophy, poetry, politics, laws, mathematics, and theology, without the least assistance from genius or study” in Gulliver’s Travels. While Swift’s novel was written as satire, almost 300 hundred years later, “The Engine” is very much a reality.?

With generative AI like ChatGPT, even the most basic users can interact with and command machine learning in a way we've never seen. And this is already profoundly affecting how almost every profession works, especially those in strategic and creative roles. We can now use tools that can automate simple and complex tasks, freeing us up to make our work feel more human, more creative, and more strategic.??

This means for those in PR, with minimal inputs, AI can automate labor-intensive tasks like creating drafts of press releases or building initial media lists, freeing PR professionals to focus on higher-level strategic ideas and projects. But beyond the mundane, with AI, we can now predict media trends, analyze competitor strategies with greater efficiency, and identify possible crises before they happen. And that's pretty amazing.?

The AI Brainstorm Buddy

AI also serves as an invaluable brainstorming ally. Gone are the days of staring at a blank page indefinitely. With a few prompts, you're instantly brainstorming with a tireless partner.?

For example, one area that is equal parts strategic and creative but is a massive use of energy, time, and brain power is helping clients create relevance when they don't have news, new campaigns, activations, or anything newsworthy to share. In short, you find yourself trying to create opportunities with to work with. One approach to this challenge might be newsjacking. With newsjacking, you're staying on the pulse of what is happening in culture and trying to identify any viable dotted lines between that topic and the brand, creating story angles and ideas, finding the right journalists to pitch, and pitching. By default, for this to be effective, it?

?has to be relevant, but it also has to be fast. We've long had tools to help us scan breaking news and conduct social listening. But with generative AI, we can take that news or those trends, tie it to the brand, generate an infinite amount of thought starters for story angles, and make them specific and relevant to individual media outlets, all within minutes, if not seconds. Are those ideas generated by AI great and 100% usable? Absolutely not. Are the OK and a great starting point for something a human can refine? Definitely.?

AI can help refine messaging, test campaign scenarios, and predict audience responses. It's akin to a data-backed crystal ball, accessible 24/7 from the device in your pocket. And that’s invaluable.?

A Bigger Opportunity

AI's automation capabilities empower PR professionals to focus on areas that truly benefit from their expertise. Take Big Data, for example. The PR profession has historically been better at counting things like placements and impressions (I'll save my thoughts on impressions as a KPI in the PR profession for another post) than measuring. But AI changes that, making PR more data-savvy. AI can sift through vast amounts of research, market reports, and financial statements, turning overwhelming data into directions or pathways for actionable insights. Imagine leveraging AI to analyze customer sentiment across platforms like Amazon, social media, and YouTube, crafting laser-focused messaging for your next campaign. You don't have to imagine it because YOU can do it.?

Becoming Communication Strategists

The most exciting prospect for brands is how AI empowers PR professionals to become true communication strategists. This represents a seismic shift in PR's organizational role. The “new” PR can harness data and AI insights to guide decision-making at every level, from campaign development to crisis management. This evolution has profound implications for brands, positioning PR as a core strategic asset far greater potential to influence perceptions and business outcomes. No longer relegated to the sidelines, PR is now integral in shaping business strategies, ensuring that business decisions are informed by a deep understanding of the brand's public perception and stakeholder expectations.

The Human Element

While AI is a powerful tool, it can’t replicate the human touch. Some liken the use of generative AI to a modern centaur or cyborg, suggesting a shared responsibility between humans and machines. I view AI as the robot that it is. Like R2-D2—a companion providing crucial information and insights. But like Padmé, Anakin, and Luke, it's up to us to guide AI, making decisions informed by our understanding of human behavior, empathy, and ethics (ethics and AI is a whole other post as well). AI can analyze sentiment but can't feel it -- at least not yet. It can identify trending topics but it can't understand why they matter.?

AI can look at a box score from a 31-17 loss that your alma mater experienced in the season opener of what was hopefully going to be a good year and write a pretty solid recap, but it can't explain how that game actually felt like it was 61-17. (But Go Gamecocks!)

Our human intuition and emotional intelligence turn data into insights and messages into meaningful connections. And let's not underestimate the power of human connection in a digital world. In an era where consumers are increasingly skeptical of brands, the ability to build authentic, meaningful 1:1 relationships is a competitive advantage that no AI can replicate.

The Future is Bright

We are in a truly transformative moment for the PR industry and the brands we serve, where PR campaigns have to be both data-informed and emotionally resonant. By embracing the tools we have available, PR will no longer be relegated to the sidelines, instead serving an integral role in shaping business strategies. PR has the opportunity to define its role as a data-driven, human-led, strategic asset rather than an afterthought, or as R2-D2 would say, “beep boop beep beep boop bloop” or something like that.

by Scott Moody , Director, Community and PR