Whether we’re fully on the bandwagon and embracing AI every day, or just dipping our toe into ChatGPT with a few questions to see what it spits out, I think the majority of us will use AI for one reason or another in a meaningful way in the next 12-18 months.
As communicators, the key is determining how we will harness this technology for good, and not evil.
The team and I recently attended a session run by Communication and Public Relations Australia (CPRA) that bought together a panel of experts to discuss if AI is good or bad for the PR, comms, media and creative industries… and humanity. They discussed if we can ‘responsibly adapt’ to the use of AI in these industries, and what it means for comms professionals now, and into the future.
It was interesting to hear different perspectives on AI and it’s use. One thing was very clear. Using AI leads to efficiency, speed, scale and can have impact, BUT as comms professionals we have to be self-aware and use our own critical thinking to stay in control of the technology.
Two other words were key stand outs from the panel session, education and regulation.
Education, firstly – we need to make sure our up-and-coming comms professionals know how to use AI but are still able to hone their skills the way we all did. It’s a tricky balance between arming them with the tools to make their job easier and getting them to learn the essential foundations of a skill which might take longer, but ultimately, they’ll learn more along the way.
Secondly, who is going to regulate how we use AI? Should it be the government, our industry bodies, or organisations themselves? A report from University of Queensland and KPMG about trust and AI found only 39% of people surveyed believe current governance, regulations and laws are sufficient to protect people and make AI use safe.
In the comms sector, there’s great opportunity in using AI to help us be more efficient and productive. A recent report from PR Newswire on the state of the press release showed that PR professionals are using AI to help with press release drafting, but we’re using it carefully. A couple of respondents compared their use of AI to having an intern who creates the first draft, followed by heavy oversight and editing by a more senior professional. The report states that “it’s important to remember that generative AI is merely a tool to help increase efficiency rather than replace creativity.”
So yes, AI is here to stay. But guardrails need to be set on how we best use it, and we need to remember that AI is just a tool, and the real asset is the people using it.
Alex Williams