The End of PR As We Know It

Written By

FWD

This insights post is a summary of the original blog post published by FWD. View the original blog post: It’s the End of PR As We Know It.

While the initial conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) has died down somewhat, it’s important to discuss the lasting impact it will have on the PR industry. More specifically, this post focuses on examining the claims that AI technology will be more of an assistant or supplemental tool rather than replacing professionals outright. Let’s dive into why the experts at FWD believe the strongest responsibilities of PR will stay untouched by AI.

There are new AI tools that come out every day. While they are becoming more sophisticated, the threat to content creation (videos and text) is much larger compared to PR. It’s getting to the point where it can be hard to tell whether a piece of content was created by a human or not. AI tool providers are also working on ways for this technology to track and measure marketing campaigns.

The next step with AI is likely combining the various technologies into one centralized platform that offers a variety of services. It’s important to note that we’re at the beginning of AI being integrated into PR. Time will tell if clients will be able to create their own PR services using an AI tool at a reduced cost.

Journalists, PR, and the Real World

There’s no question that as PR continues to become entrenched with more digital tactics, the discipline is vulnerable to AI taking on more work. While some journalists might be at a higher risk of being replaced by AI, PR professionals need to focus on building meaningful relationships with clients and external stakeholders. The act of providing value and solutions to clients is one of the best ways to add more security to PR positions.

Much of the PR landscape is still done with face-to-face interactions. A press conference for instance is one of the examples of how not everything in PR has fully moved over to the digital world. There’s still a strong need for the physical presence of PR professionals across a variety of industries. PR agencies who excel at cultivating relationships in the physical world will be better protected from AI.

Weighing the Security Risks and Regulations

If AI technology starts to be offered on a central platform, the threat of security risks could push people back towards PR agencies. Chat bots, AI language models, and other tools will likely keep a record of every use. This could open up some liability for potential clients. It’s an opportunity for PR professionals to offer services in the knowledge economy that are irreplaceable.

There also continues to be a lot of talk about AI regulations in governments around the globe. One common thought is to create a system that prevents independent open-source developers from competing with one another. This benefits the PR industry since AI tools won’t advance as quickly due to the lack of innovation stemming from direct competition.

While none of us know how AI will evolve over the next 10 years, it’s important to keep a close eye on it. There’s little doubt that AI technology will continue to have an impact on the PR industry, so it’s important to build human relationships to help reduce the risk your firm faces.

To learn more about the details on how AI can impact the PR industry and knowledge economy, read the full blog: It’s the End of PR As We Know It.

You can also find insights from other Worldcom Partners about Public Relations and Technology.