Svetlana Stavreva shared some golden nuggets of information when she hosted a webinar for IPRA (April 2021). A couple of things in particular that she said really struck a chord with me.
Svetlana Stavreva shared some golden nuggets of information when she hosted a webinar for IPRA (April 2021). A couple of things in particular that she said really struck a chord with me.
There are more mobile phones in the world than toothbrushes.
Isn’t that a startling fact? What does it tell us? That mobile phones have become embedded into the way we live our lives. They are omnipresent. They are omnipotent. They have become indispensable.
What it tells us, in a wider sense, is that communication is also a huge part of our everyday lives and AI feeds our need for instant facts and entertainment.
The technologists are focused on creating ways in which we can produce more communications input, quicker, using AI and saving us time as PR professionals. So what are they doing?
Current state of technology.
Well, Svetlana gave us an insight into some technology currently in development. She explained that:
- IBM are currently trying to train a machine by having a human debate against it. This will teach the machine how to build persuasive arguments.
- AI algorithms are currently being used to gather facts for inclusion in speeches.
- The Guardian newspaper has experimented with AIto write articles
- There are multiple tools to measure media outcomes and influence (like Cision and Muck Rack), and tools to help with daily planning (like Trello and Buffer).
There have also been mixed results:
- Microsoft developed a chatbot which learned behaviour from Twitter users, but, unfortunately, also learned racist behaviour.
- And in the UK algorithms gave higher grades to elite students.
Communications literacy today is about asking the question and questioning the facts.
Svetlana said that communications must be backed by “purpose, trust, ethics and transparency”, which is something no professional would disagree with. But then she made the point about communications literacy and that really, for me, was the key point of the entire presentation.
PR professionals need AI tools to help them create content and monitor what is happening. The AI will undoubtedly get better and the tool will improves vastly.
The PR Practitioners real skills will remain their ability to ask the questions, question the facts, interpret what the information is telling them, and design campaigns which reflect the values and purpose of their clients, in an ethical, empathetic and transparent way. That is the true value of both Artificial and Human Intelligence.
Note: Svetlana Stavreva, is the immediate past-president ofIPRA. She presented a webinar to IPRA members on AI in PR in April 2021. IPRAis the International Public Relations Association. The PR Training Academy is a member of IPRA. This blog is based on my notes of Svetlana’s presentation.
