How AI is Changing Crisis Comms as we move into 2024

With the UK Covid-19 Inquiry starting to look like a mud-slinging match, I got to wondering how different things could have looked if our ex-PM Boris Johnson would have employed a public relations official clued up on the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to crisis communications.

For those who may not be in the know, the public enquiry into the UK’s response to the Covid 19 pandemic is looking at how prepared the UK was for the pandemic and how top decision-makers responded as the virus spread and lockdown restrictions were imposed.

Still in its early stages, the inquiry has highlighted chaos behind doors, clashing opinions and the lack of effective communication at a time when strong, informed and empathetic leadership was required.?

Now, while I agree that the human ability to be compassionate, authentic and wise cannot be replicated, especially in times of crisis, I do believe that artificial intelligence has made great strides when it comes to being able to inform and assist with strategy planning in such times.

Popularity of Generative AI increasing ??

According to PR Newswire, the generative AI market is projected to be worth $126 billion by 2030. Projections show that by 2025, nearly a third of messages from large brands will be AI-generated. In comparison, less than 2% of messages were AI-generated in 2022.

Ways in which AI can benefit PR in times of crisis ??

Agility PR highlights that generative AI tools can keep track of different social media platforms, public forums, news articles, and other news sources to detect potential crises in near real-time and provide alerts to PR professionals.

These real-time alerts significantly reduce the time it takes for PR professionals to become aware of a looming crisis and allows them to take proactive measures to respond to the crisis before it gets out of hand.

AI tools can go through large volumes of social media data in real-time and identify patterns that show how the public perceives the crisis. This information can be used to pinpoint areas of concern or misinformation that needs to be addressed.

Since generative AI is capable of producing human-level messages in seconds, it can play a valuable role in helping PR teams swiftly draft response messages.?

The human element remains crucial

They do highlight that for this to work, you need to train AI models on past crisis communication messages, key messaging guidelines, and your preferred tone. With this data, AI can generate initial statement drafts, social media posts, and press releases.

In a recent article EC PR highlighted the fact that while AI is providing real-time situation updates PR teams can assess the severity of a crisis and decide which tasks can be delegated to machines, simultaneously identifying those that necessitate human judgment and intervention.

Furthermore, AI can be used to measure the reception of a post-crisis PR message, by gathering data, a task which is often time consuming. With this data PR teams will be able to strategise more efficiently to respond to ongoing situations.

The company stresses that AI should only be used as a support tool in crisis management and not as a decision-maker, and that it has the capability to offer options which, during a fierce storm, could be the calming voice.?

Prediction could identify risks before crisis hits ??

An article by the Content Group, specifically focused on how governments could leverage AI in crisis communication, highlights that AI could be used to analyse historical data to identify potential risks and prepare contingency plans accordingly.?

By using predictive AI algorithms they suggest finding patterns that can help predict and tackle problems before they become a crisis. By analysing health data, for example, any risks to citizens’ health and well-being can be identified and acted upon. Data such as this could have been very helpful during the pandemic.

They too reiterate the fact that people are looking for authenticity and sincerity and that crisis communications should be produced from a place of empathy. The platform, format, tone, and key messaging are all factors that need to be considered when crafting the communications, and this cannot be achieved by AI alone.

There is a future for AI in PR but balance is required ??

Other ways in which AI can be used by PR professionals include using it to optimise workflow, for translation of global campaigns into different languages, to predict future market trends, to improve personalisation and to create graphics and visuals, to name a few.

In the realm of public relations, it will be essential to find the right balance between making the most of AI's advantages and acknowledging its constraints. This way, you can tap into AI's potential to enhance efficiency while safeguarding the vital human connection that's at the heart of effective communication.