AI won’t replace public relations

As the number of distribution channels increases and the media landscape becomes increasingly convoluted, it’s crystal clear that no human can keep up with the sea of information. In fact, we’re drowning in it. This is exactly where AI comes in.  Public relations professionals must embrace artificial intelligence to remain competitive and break through the noise in the current era of information overload. This is because PR pros spend days, if not weeks, brainstorming, finding opportunities, and identifying the most relevant journalists, producers, podcast hosts, and creators to pitch based on their distribution channel, beat, recent coverage, region of interest, and more.

Why AI won’t replace public relations professionals

Strong communication skills and an understanding of human psychology are non-negotiable in PR, which requires that human touch. 

In other words, any fears about AI replacing PR can be put to rest because this technology will never fully take over the human element of PR. AI can do wonders for automating certain tasks within the research phase and strengthening capabilities so that we can focus on the work that matters most. This includes forging human relationships and implementing strategies that lead to optimal media coverage. 

Ultimately, we will still need to identify the opportunities that matter most, implement these ideas effectively by thinking beyond a singular goal, and add our own unique flare. This cannot be automated.

How AI enhances public relations

It wasn’t always so complex, but as people spent more time online, the number of media channels expanded. Social media, podcasts, blogs, subtasks, and other alternative digital outlets became part of the mix, making it impossible to keep up with. 

AI can help us stay abreast of trends, news, and media channels, cutting down the time it would take otherwise. This allows us to have more time to focus on being creative, crafting deeply personalized pitches, and building and nurturing relationships with the media. 

A great balance between AI and your creative input can also be struck if you edit content that addresses information gaps, offers unique opinions, or suggests controversial ideas. Use it as a sounding board for your content to ensure it’s being relayed in a clear and concise way. This way, you can spend more time identifying conversations where your contributions will matter most. 

Why you should embrace AI in your PR efforts

There’s no doubt that AI will transform communications, but this transformation cannot occur without PR professionals there to add the nuances, storytelling, and strategy that make any PR outreach great. 

Over time, more people will learn when it’s best to implement AI to make us more efficient and when to hone in on the human element, but there’s no doubt that change is needed. The variety of media channels will only increase as people’s preferences on where to get their news evolve. To keep up, we must adapt and embrace AI to remain competitive. This doesn’t only apply to PR agencies but also to in-house PR teams and solopreneurs. The best way to get started is to lean on the experts not only in PR but AI. Agencies like SlicedBrand have already taken the leap to integrate AI into their efforts seamlessly and can guide you in the modern era of communications.