Growing up, my dad would always repeat the quote ‘hablando se entiende la gente,’ which roughly translates to “people understand each other through conversation,” whenever I came to him for advice on an issue. He wanted me to understand that having a conversation can help clear up any confusion and humanize issues. In an increasingly digital world, we seem to have forgotten that behind our screens are real people who are on the receiving end of our messages. While we can utilize technology to better inform and prepare ourselves for these conversations, at the end of the day, it is the human connection that people respond to and remember.
By now, there have been many opinions and perspectives about the integration of AI into our everyday work lives. A few months ago at the Cannes Film Festival, an influencer slammed AI’s use by brands and mentioned she “hates AI” and “doesn’t trust it.” Her answer came in response to whether she thinks AI could one day assume the role of influencer and engage effectively with a community of followers. Although her answer may seem overly simplistic, it does show that there is still underlying concern and skepticism around having technology completely take over.
While many still debate the pros and cons of integrating AI into our workday, the reality and data show that AI is here to stay as our desktop companion.
The State of AI in PR
Since the launch of platforms such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, PR professionals have been diving into ways to use these platforms to save time and do their job more effectively. If we take a close look, about 61% of PR professionals say they currently use generative AI or plan to explore it, according to Muck Rack’s State of PR 2023 report. This number is only expected to grow as more people become knowledgeable on how to use AI, and expectations in the industry continue to rise.
That being said, the PR industry has notoriously been known for having a high burnout rate. "People are more excited about AI rescuing them from burnout than they are worried about it eliminating their jobs," said Adam Grant, organizational psychology expert, in a Microsoft 2023 Work Trend Index: Annual Report. According to Axios, the demands of the job have caused 44% of PR professionals to quit this year. AI may provide a solution to help reduce mundane tasks so PR professionals can focus on the true value aspect of their job—building relationships.
Best of Both Worlds
For PR professionals, staying on top of trends and insights is extremely valuable for developing strategies and staying in the loop about what reporters are writing about. AI allows for assistance in media monitoring, reporting, sentiment analysis, research, inspiration generation and much more.
However, building and maintaining relationships are key factors of the PR world that cannot be replicated or completely automated, no matter how advanced and specific technology becomes. In-person interactions and personalized touch points break the ice and barriers in today’s digital age. Getting on the phone with reporters, attending conferences and meeting with clients in person are ways PR professionals can continue to insert their humanity into their work.
There is a clear need in the market for people to master AI while incorporating aspects of humanity. The Texas Executive Education program at the University of Texas offers a course titled “AI + EQ: A New Era of Leadership Strategies," and the University of Miami offers a course titled “Balancing AI and the Human Touch in Customer Service.”
Although we are just beginning the AI era at work, PR professionals must strike the correct balance between using technology and bringing in the human element. As we have witnessed, there is a natural rejection of things that are “clearly AI produced,” but that doesn’t mean AI should not be used to help us get things done. While that balance may take some time to perfect, we should continue experimenting and learning about it without forgetting that “people understand each other through conversation.”