By Baaba COFIE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing faster than we can and its use is becoming more widespread in the field of public relations.
AI has transformed the way PR professionals create content, analyze data, and engage with audiences, having a global impact on the society we live in. However, as AI evolves, ethical concerns must be carefully considered to ensure that PR is practiced responsibly and ethically.
The impact of AI on the world of public relations raises important questions about authenticity, transparency, and accountability. By exploring these areas and their ethical implications, we can harness the potential of AI to enhance our profession while upholding the values that define us as communications experts. Let’s explore these areas of concern in public relations.
Content creation
AI has revolutionized the way content is created in public relations. Whether it’s developing PR strategies, writing press releases, newsletters, event management plans, or writing social media posts, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney have the ability to generate content quickly, efficiently, and at lightning speed, especially when leveraged through effective rapid engineering.
There is, however, a fine line between using AI to enhance creativity and over-relying on automated tools. It is important to note that PR thrives on relationships. So while AI can help with content creation, it still requires a human touch to truly connect with the audience. The reasons are as follows:
- AI has no mind of its own
- AI has no heart
- AI is a tool, not a substitute for human creativity. While AI can generate content, it lacks the emotional intelligence and nuanced understanding that only humans possess.
- It contains information that it collects from already existing data.
- It doesn’t contain all the information you need.
First, to add a human touch to content, PR professionals must integrate their unique personality, ideas, and perspectives into the brand message. These include cultural nuances, family and community belief systems, unique local terminology, examples, quotes, and more.
If we eliminate the human touch, we risk ending up writing superficial content that is enjoyable to read but doesn’t connect with the audience. PR professionals must remain the heart and mind of organizations.
Second, the creative use of AI always starts with leveraging the technology to gather data and insights that can inform their content strategies. By integrating these insights into our content creation process, we can tailor our message to resonate with their target audience without removing the heart or some of the facts.
Third, PR professionals can integrate storytelling into their content creation process. This means that when AI gives you a good framework, you need to weave the storytelling model in a way that speaks well to target audiences to create a more engaging experience.
Data analysis
Artificial intelligence allows public relations professionals to analyze vast amounts of data to better understand audience behavior, sentiment, and trends. While data-driven decision-making greatly improves public relations strategies and campaigns, it is essential to consider the ethical implications of collecting and analyzing personal data and using potentially biased data to inform the choice of a big idea or strategic communications direction.
Data protection is a crucial ethical issue in the use of AI in public relations. It is important to ensure that personal information is handled with care and in compliance with data protection laws. This includes obtaining appropriate consent from individuals before collecting their data, as well as implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive information.
PR professionals must also be transparent about what data they collect, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. This helps build trust with the public and ensures that individuals are aware of how their personal information is being used.
It’s also important to consider the potential biases that can arise in AI-powered PR campaigns. AI algorithms are only as effective as they are based on data, and if that data is biased, it can lead to discriminatory results.
PR professionals must therefore be vigilant and monitor for bias and take steps to mitigate it to ensure fair and equitable outcomes. Double-checking and fact-checking is essential.
Public engagement
Today, we have AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants that have completely transformed the way we interact with audiences. These tools can provide real-time responses, personalized recommendations, and seamless customer service. However, using AI to shape public perception and influence behavior raises ethical concerns: transparency, authenticity, and accountability.
If users aren’t informed that they’re interacting with a chatbot or virtual assistant, they may feel deceived. This lack of transparency can erode trust and credibility, and ultimately damage the relationship between the organization and its audience.
Authenticity is another ethical concern in AI-powered audience engagement. While AI-powered tools are designed to analyze data and provide personalized responses based on algorithms, there is also a risk that these responses will lack authentic human emotion and empathy. This can create a disconnect with the audience and make them feel like they are not being heard or understood.
For example, if a virtual assistant responds to a customer complaint with a generic, canned message without considering the customer’s emotions, it can come across as insincere and robotic. This lack of authenticity can alienate customers and damage the company’s reputation.
So it’s necessary to continue to engage with our audiences on a personal level by responding to comments, encouraging conversations, and building relationships. By actively engaging with them, PR professionals can humanize their brand and establish a sense of trust and authenticity.
Accountability is also an important ethical consideration in AI-powered audience engagement. When organizations rely on AI to interact with their audiences, they must take responsibility for the decisions and actions of these tools. If an AI chatbot provides inaccurate information or makes inappropriate recommendations, the organization must be held accountable for any negative consequences that result.
Impact on society
As AI continues to reshape the public relations landscape, it is essential to consider the broader societal impact of these technologies. From algorithmic bias to misinformation, what is the role of public relations professionals in promoting ethical AI practices and mitigating the negative impacts of AI on society?
We must make a deliberate effort to promote ethical AI practices and mitigate negative impacts to help shape public perception and understanding of these technologies.
Additionally, PR professionals can also help combat disinformation and deepfakes, which have the potential to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in information sources.
By implementing robust communications strategies to debunk false narratives and educating the public about the risks of AI-generated content, we can also help preserve the integrity of information and promote critical thinking in the digital age.
In addition to these proactive measures, public relations professionals must also be prepared to respond quickly and effectively to ethical dilemmas and controversies related to AI. We must have clear guidelines, policies, protocols, confidentiality agreements, and crisis communication plans.
This provides us with a cushion that helps us address complex ethical challenges with professionalism and integrity, demonstrating our commitment to upholding ethical standards in the age of AI.
Finally, one of the key ways to promote ethical AI practices is to advocate for diversity and inclusion in AI development. It is essential that PR professionals encourage and support the representation of diverse voices in the creation of AI algorithms to minimize algorithmic bias. Africa must not be left behind! Let’s work with AI developers and researchers to ensure their systems are inclusive and fair.
This can actually help prevent discriminatory outcomes and promote social equity. We should develop our own AI tools, train AI developers, data scientists, machine learning engineers, and others. Why not! Let’s think about it.
It is clear that ethical AI in public relations practice presents both opportunities and challenges for public relations professionals. By assuming our role as ethical stewards of AI technology, we can help shape a more responsible and sustainable future for society.
By understanding the ethical aspects of using AI in public relations, we can ensure that our practices are consistent with ethical standards and build trust and credibility with our audiences. Let’s harness the power of AI while upholding ethical principles in our work as public relations professionals.
The author is Managing Partner of Mahogany Consult.
