Artificial intelligence has generated hype and bred anxiety across a variety of industries, and public relations is no exception. Naturally, the prospect of using AI to complete tasks raises fears about being replaced. So, should PR professionals be afraid of losing their jobs? In short, no.
AI is not going to bring about a technological apocalypse as prophesied by Elon Musk, and you are not going to be replaced by a chatbot. In many ways PR does not lend itself to full automation, but you should be prepared for drastic changes in how you currently practice PR.
To better understand how AI will impact your firm, you first have to examine its applications.
Uses of AI in Public Relations
For public relations, implementing artificial intelligence means using AI-assisted tools and programs to boost efficiency. These tools can be used to draft media lists, follow up with reporters, optimize SEO, and monitor social media. In fact, many firms and companies already use AI-based tools like Hootsuite to schedule social media content and analyze results. Using these tools effectively cuts down on hours of administrative tasks and gives professionals the freedom to focus on more meaty subjects.
While these tools help streamline mind-numbing tasks, they also are being used in more surprising ways. If skimming the news every day is part of your job, it is likely that you have read at least one story that wasn’t written by a human. While the technology isn’t quite ready to completely mimic the coherent writing style of a flesh-and-blood human being, it can be used for data driven stories. For example, the Associated Press currently uses this type of technology to write earnings reports. While the prospect of AI-authored stories may seem like blasphemy to journalists and PR professionals, using a program to write some of the more mundane stories frees up time for more important matters.
Regardless of your stance on AI in the PR field, it is improbable that the use of this technology will slow, so it is important to know how AI will affect you.
Impact on PR Professionals
The level of automation that artificial intelligence brings to the table is impressive, but it is hardly a reason to be concerned about job security. Public relations professionals possess intangible communication skills that allow them to build meaningful relationships with clients and members of the press. These skills cannot be replicated by a computer, and according to a recent Oxford study, PR specialists only have an 18% chance of being replaced by artificial intelligence. PR directors clock in at an even lower replacement chance of only 1.5%
PR professionals who embrace the AI revolution can expect their jobs to become easier, and their productivity to increase. Allowing AI to take over low-level tasks allows for PR specialists to work more efficiently and create more succinct timelines for goals. Hours of leg work normally done by a human can be completed in seconds by a computer, giving PR professionals the ability to rapidly upgrade their output.
At this point, the question isn’t whether you are going to adopt AI, it’s how fast are you prepared to get on board?