Digital
The role of AI in public relations: Uncovering the pros and cons
Mumbai: The rapid advancement of technology in recent years has had a profound impact on various aspects of society, economics, and everyday life. This is particularly evident in the field of communications, where Public Relations (PR) has undergone significant changes. With the emergence of the internet and social media, PR professionals have had to adapt to new platforms and channels.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also made its mark in the PR industry, with a survey showing that 67.8% of PR professionals are already utilizing AI in their work. This growing link between AI and PR highlights the need to explore how AI is being used in the industry and the impact it has on the landscape.
While the introduction of AI in the PR industry will undoubtedly bring about changes, these changes do not necessarily have to be negative. With the right approach, AI can be a valuable tool for PR professionals.
One noticeable shift is that AI is taking over repetitive and mundane tasks that were previously time-consuming. This means that PR professionals need to develop new skills or refine existing ones to stay relevant in this changing landscape. The importance of critical thinking, adaptability, editing, and storytelling skills is emphasized in The State of PR Technology 2023 report.
AI offers several advantages in the field of PR. With its ability to automate repetitive tasks, it leads to substantial savings in both time and resources. It also enables quick analysis of large volumes of data, providing valuable insights for decision-making. AI helps identify target audiences accurately, leading to more personalized and effective communication. Additionally, AI plays a crucial role in crisis management by monitoring social media and news platforms in real-time, alerting PR professionals to potential crises and facilitating prompt responses. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants enhance customer engagement by providing personalized responses, improving the overall customer experience.
However, there are also concerns associated with AI in PR. The potential lack of empathy and emotional intelligence in AI systems can hinder the building of strong relationships. Ethical issues surrounding privacy, bias, and misinformation can also arise, affecting public trust. The automation capabilities of AI may lead to job displacement for PR professionals, particularly in tasks that can be easily automated. Moreover, an overreliance on technology can restrict creativity, intuition, and human judgment, which are crucial elements in the field of PR. There is also a risk to a company’s reputation as AI algorithms can make mistakes or misinterpret data, potentially resulting in inaccurate or damaging PR campaigns.
Conclusion:
It is important to note that while AI offers significant benefits in PR, human expertise and judgment are still essential. PR professionals need to interpret and contextualize the data and insights provided by AI tools, build relationships, and make strategic decisions based on their understanding of the brand and industry. AI should be seen as a tool that enhances and supports PR efforts, allowing professionals to work more efficiently and effectively.
The author of this article is Scenic Communication co-founder Anindita Gupta.
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
