AI meets PR –– How artificial intelligence changes the character of public relations
Artificial intelligence has become indispensable in many industries. The world of communications is no exception. How is AI changing the work of communications consultants and journalists? Our senior communications consultant and AI expert Julia Loeser looked for answers.
Identifying topics, advising customers individually, maintaining contacts with journalists: All this means public relations! Complex tasks, for which there are no standard solutions, as well as great social competence, e.g. in the exchange with journalists and customers, are part of the everyday life of communications consultants. It is still impossible to automate such tasks –– and in all likelihood it will remain so. Nevertheless, there are areas in which AI is already being used today and is permanently changing our work as communications consultants.
Translation tasks –– done in (almost) a second
There is great potential when it comes to the translation of texts. Tools such as DeepL already provide very sufficient results through natural language processing, with the help of artificial neural networks – even if native speakers are still needed for proofreading, of course. Translation tools are already significantly increasing the efficiency of translations and simplifying international PR.
Media monitoring and reporting made easy
Whether it's the daily press, business or trade media, The question as to which journalists are currently writing about a certain topic is of the utmost relevance for PR professionals. Whereas in the past this was mostly addressed through personal dialogue or discussions with colleagues, nowadays additional options are available Through text and data analysis of media and social networks, it is possible to gain important insights into the current publications and interests of journalists.
This does not replace personal contact and relationship management –– as our founder and CEO Tilo Bonow always puts it: "Public Relations is a peoples business". But conversations between consultants and media representatives can be more efficient. In addition, monitoring or pitches can be supplemented with suitable data or a sentiment analysis of existing articles or social media content can be carried out. AI is able to extract and analyze information - even from video or audio files - including names, contact data, and references to specific keywords.
Speech-to-text with AI
Another exciting use case is the conversion of speech to text. Artificial intelligence can help transfer the spoken word to paper - and thus, for example, accelerate the availability of input for articles and interviews, or generate reports, press releases, and scripts. No one has to write down an audio by hand anymore and can invest the time saved in far more important and far more interesting tasks.
Chatbots for media inquiries
The use of chatbots in customer support is now a standard feature in e-commerce. Their particular strength currently is the ability to answer standard inquiries around the clock, even on Sundays and holidays. On the other hand, bots are still a rarity on media sites , even in the case of major brands. Of course, this tool should not be used to disclose information on complex or critical topics. Personal availability for press inquiries from journalists will continue to be the top priority for communication professionals . However, it is quite possible that basic questions such as company information, links to press images, etc. will be communicated to journalists via bot in the future.
AI as a support, not a threat
The aforementioned examples show which use cases with regard to artificial intelligence in PR are technically feasible today. This does not mean that humans are less important. In fact, the opposite is true. As the efficiency of translations, monitoring or contact research increases, professionals gain more time to use their social, analytical, strategic and creative skills. This allows them to always achieve the best possible results while making job profiles even more sophisticated and interesting. When we as PR consultants work hand in hand with artificial intelligence, we can deliver the best possible performance.
At PIABO, AI-based tools such as Cision, Klear, Trint and Deepl are already an integral part of everyday work, in order to provide customers with the best possible service. For more information on this topic, please contact Julia Loeser, Senior Communications Consultant at PIABO. She is looking forward to hearing from you.
