AI in PR shifts from experimentation to implementation

We’ve passed the stage of AI experimentation in public relations. The hard work of integrating AI into workflows and determining the impact on the future of practice and society is underway.

This was the upbeat narrative at the PRMoment Masterclass on AI in PR last week. Thanks to Ben Smith for producing such an insightful event.

A Boston Consulting Group study suggests that professional workers can get 25% efficiency and 40% effectiveness benefits from AI. It both underestimates and exaggerates the opportunity.

The challenge for practitioners is that AI tools cannot neatly be mapped into public relations workflow. There is no instruction book and no playbook.

Workflow must be broken down into tasks and tools mapped against activity. Allison Spray shared the perspective of a large agency from Burson. Holding group WPP has developed its own AI platform.

AI in public relations is as much a cultural issue as it is a technology issue, and it’s bloody hard work. Administration and editorial give some of the greatest opportunities for gains.

Using transcription tools improves productivity fivefold or more. Almost half of the masterclass attendees said they use transcription for meetings when polled. 

Paul Wooding demonstrated how an AI tool can be trained on corporate information and used to produce the first version of draft documents. He’s done this at TM Forum.

Jonny Bentwood walked delegates through his Golin tool stack, demonstrating along the way how days of research work could be reduced to a few minutes of work to pull together information from multiple sources and spot patterns.

Maya Koleva showed how AI could streamline measurement and evaluation, sharing Commetic's workflow.

AI is an issue for everyone in an agency or communication team. It cannot be siloed. Emily McDaid challenged delegates to ten hours of work to get a basic understanding. 

If the Empire States Building represents the sum of human achievement, we’ve reached the 15th floor with the current generation of AI, she said. Significant societal challenges are also ahead as we head to the 102nd floor.

Andrew Bruce Smith said the one thing all AI tool vendors have in common is that they are being sued by publishers.

Lawyer Luke English described the legal landscape and said AI vendors sought to avoid regulation by entering into licensing agreements. This is likely to drive up the cost of tools.

Data augmentation and management are also challenges, and there is a high anxiety surrounding safeguarding and security.

Researcher Dr Clea Bourne from Goldsmiths, University of London, described AI's impact on the future of work. Right now, the main beneficiaries of AI are the investors in AI large language models and tool companies.

If you approach public relations from a communication or media perspective, your work will undoubtedly be impacted. AI can already routinely undertake tasks in both areas.

However, if you view public relations as managing relationships between an organisation and its audiences or public, you’re on safer ground.

Wadds Inc. published a paper last month called The Use of AI in Corporate Communications and Public Relations: The Story So Far. It takes a critical perspective and explores many of these issues and more.

We’re also helping agencies and communications teams get to grips with these issues through consulting and training.

AI in public relations practice is messy and challenging, but incredibly exciting.