It’s hard to deny the potential that AI presents to work smarter – not harder – to achieve PR and marketing goals. But as a communications professional, you may have mixed feelings about the technology or have even ruminated on the dreaded question: Is AI coming for communicators’ jobs?
With so much uncertainty around the impacts of AI, we have dedicated this month’s issue of The Goods to helping PR pros understand how to embrace the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls of this emerging technology.
The Goods is a newsletter for social impact communicators that helps you keep track of the latest updates, trends, industry best practices, and much more. This content is compiled and curated monthly by Jade Floyd, Victoria Dellacava, and Mia Saponara.
Where the Public Stands on AI
Businesses are moving to harness the power of AI, but Global Strategy Group’s newest research reveals that only a core group of Americans are paying close attention. If you can define the word “deepfake” or have ever used a Generative AI tool like ChatGPT, you’re in the minority of Americans across the country.
GSG’s latest report on perceptions, priorities, and expectations around AI unpacks heightened skepticism toward the technology, revealing significant risks for companies. It’s clear that a proactive, transparent approach to engagement with policymakers, employees, and consumers alike is the key to success for anyone entering the AI conversation.
Sixty nine percent of voters agree that AI poses a threat to the workforce, and corporations should be prepared to address their employees’ concerns as they integrate AI into their workplaces. By educating workers about AI and familiarizing them with the opportunities it offers, companies can smooth the transition into this new frontier.
Check out the full report to learn more.
How AI Can Make Our Jobs Easier… and Harder
Cision and PRWeek report that, while the PR sector is still in the “early adoption” phase with AI, the technology presents a myriad of potential benefits for our industry. It can be used to condense lengthy internal memos and emails, provide data-driven insights into messages that best resonate with key audiences, and maintain consistency across different channels. It can also help complete time and labor-intensive communications tasks, like transcribing video content or pulling media coverage reports, with relative ease. However, AI is merely a tool. It’s critical for savvy PR pros to customize the final product when incorporating AI into our practices.
(PR Daily)
However, faster doesn’t always mean better. AI-generated writing can lack quality, cohesiveness, and accuracy. The media industry faces significant challenges as AI continues to advance, notably through the proliferation of AI generated news and deepfakes. Some outlets like Sports Illustrated have received backlash for publishing articles written entirely by AI, and a swath of AI-generated websites designed to look like legitimate news websites threaten to further damage public trust in the media. It’s important for PR strategists to stay vigilant while vetting news outlets for media opportunities and sharing clips with stakeholders.
(PR Daily)
How to Determine if AI Makes Sense for Your Brand
It’s hard to think of the benefits AI offers to society without also weighing the potential risks. This leaves professionals in the PR industry with critical questions: How does using AI to craft our external-facing communications materials resonate with our brand ethos? And will this answer provoke controversy among certain stakeholders?
As an example, Dove publicly announced, in alignment with their Real Beauty campaign, that they won’t use AI-generated images in their advertising. Given the importance of transparency in our industry, if a brand adopts a stance on AI use now and adjusts its position at a later point, would the potential backlash outweigh the initial positive coverage?
Let your core values and understanding of your audience and stakeholders guide your decision-making. No matter what you decide, make it a priority to find ways of implementing AI to complement the efforts of your comms team, rather than replacing them. And, most importantly, remember to embrace transparency and authenticity.
(Digiday)
New From GSG
A new report on racial politics in America
Our latest installment of The Melting Pot – an ongoing research series on the racial politics in America – came out last week with fresh data on Black voters, including motivation to vote in this year’s elections, priority issues on their minds, and perspectives on today’s economy.
Key takeaways include:
- The vast majority of Black voters are motivated to vote. 90% of Black voters say they are at least somewhat motivated to vote in the 2024 election.
- Younger Black voters – especially younger Black women – need more engagement, as they are the least motivated of all sub-groups.
- Despite economic evidence to the contrary, 70% of Black voters believe that inflation has increased over the past year.
- Despite general economic negativity, 55% of Black voters are satisfied with their current financial situation and 65% are more confident than uneasy about their financial situation over the next few months.
- Black voters are most likely to judge the health of the economy based on tangible metrics like the price of food and groceries, the cost of rent, and job growth.
Congratulations Are in Order!
The annual PRovoke Media awards recognize the most strategic and creative work in the PR field, and GSG is a finalist for two SABRE Awards this year:
- Our work with UnidosUS to help launch their HOME Initiative – a movement to help create 4 million new Latino homeowners by 2030 – is a finalist in the Not-For-Profit category. Together we developed and executed an elaborate rollout strategy that included message testing, a robust digital and earned media campaign, and a multi-city launch tour.
- Our partnership with Community Offshore Wind is a finalist in the Energy and Natural Resources category. In 2023, after a year of strategic work together, New York State awarded an offshore wind contract to the organization.
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