Public Relations and AI: A New Frontier for Canadian Business Owners

By Trevor Campbell, The iPR Group

View this article featured in CANADIAN
​BUSINESS OWNER Magazine

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on public relations (PR) and business landscapes is good news. AI goes hand in hand with PR to analyze customer data for insights, manage and monitor communications, identify potential issues, and generate content.

Connecting customers with businesses

Traditionally, PR has relied on methods such as media relations and stakeholder engagement to raise awareness, influence public perception, and manage reputations. The business stories you watch, the product reviews you read, and the industry groups you subscribe to are a few examples of how PR connects customers with businesses.

The digital age ushered in a new era of PR, characterized by social media, online reputation management, and now, the integration of AI. While the goal of raising awareness remains the same, bloggers, online platforms and so-called influencers have been added to the media mix.


Understanding AI in PR

AI in PR encompasses a variety of technologies, including machine learning, natural language processing, chatbots, and data analytics. These tools can automate and enhance many aspects of PR, from research to media monitoring to audience targeting.

Additionally, it can help develop business content, such as articles or case studies and create outlines and first drafts that you or a PR pro can turn it into a final document.

Despite AI's potential, it’s essential to balance its capabilities with the fundamentals of PR that professionals bring to the table. While AI can automate many processes, human creativity and strategic insight are irreplaceable. Especially for journalists who cringe at pitches and content that were obviously generated by AI but lack the needed additional input and edits to ensure relevance.
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As anyone who has used AI can tell you, regardless of the depth of your query, someone will need to take the time to review and augment the output and make sure it's in line with your business objectives and the interests of your customers and prospects.

Challenges and Solutions

• Balancing AI Automation with Human Creativity: Combine the efficiency of AI with the creative and strategic input of your PR team and/or your agency.
• Ethical Considerations: Ensure transparency and accountability in AI applications.
• Bias in AI Algorithms: Be aware of potential biases and work to mitigate them.
• Data Privacy and Security Concerns: Protect sensitive data and comply with privacy regulations.

The integration of AI offers opportunities for businesses to achieve efficient data analysis, content generation, and communications. However, the successful implementation of AI requires balancing automation with human creativity and strategic insight to maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.