Gini Dietrich recently wrote on Spin Suck’s why communicators will thrive in the AI Era. Her interesting read got us thinking about all the tasks AI excels at and the ones that a human is still needed. While the role of communicators may shift, AI will not replace the many human aspects of PR. It’s a great tool for improving efficiency, but it cannot build a relationship with journalists or know and interpret the wider context of a campaign, crisis or cultural moment the way that a human can.
As she discusses how communicators will adapt to AI, Gini also shares some helpful tips on how to utilize AI and we wanted to share our favorites. Below we’ll cover three tips we thought are helpful for those curious about getting started with incorporating AI in their workflow.
Start small
Incorporating change and learning a new tool or program is daunting for anyone, Gini points out that it’s more realistic to start small and we agree. With so many different tools available it’s a good idea to start with the one most accessible to you and familiarize yourself with its capabilities and limits. A program that you use often already may even have a tool built in.
AI to Help Getting Started
Getting started is usually the hardest part of any task or project. As Gini points out, AI can assist with those particularly tedious first steps. Rather than starting from scratch every time, you can use AI to provide you with an initial outline, draft, or research summary to work off of. This approach will help move the needle, but it’s important to not always run with the first output and humanize your work to maintain your voice and authenticity.
Process Vast Amounts of Information
Living in the age of information is great, but if you’re limited on time with a long list of to-dos, AI can help distill the articles or reports you’re reading through into a more manageable summary. Gini writes how AI’s ability to process vast amounts of information is ideal to assist with mundane repetitive parts of work. Think pulling out salient points or patterns across several documents.
Communicators Will Continue to be Needed
With AI reshaping how we all complete certain tasks, communicators will continue to adapt, but that doesn’t mean that they will be totally replaced. It’s important to remember that at the core of PR is relationships. AI can improve efficiency, but the originality, authenticity, and nuance of a PR professional is still critical to brand storytelling that captures attention and garners results.
To read Gini’s full article visit Spin Sucks blog.