Many claim that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will revolutionise the world of work more so than the Industrial Revolution. This had led to a flurry of debates and panic attacks, questioning the role humans will play in the workplace of the future. Given how fast this new technology is developing, most people fear that sooner or later it will put them out of a job.
However, other theories suggest that AI will relieve humans of mindless tasks and give us more time to focus on other, more important work.
So, which is it? Is AI really coming for our jobs, or will it just make our lives easier?
Here’s what AI can’t do
As a Science PR agency, technology, including aspects of AI, is at the heart of what we do and how we work at Definition.
We use a number of new business technologies to support all aspects of the job from account management to financial management and more. Nonetheless, there is always a human working the tools – never the other way around. Why? Because the work we do is ultimately about creating human engagement and thus requires a personable touch.
Although AI is very clever with an unfathomable number of learning algorithms and codes, it does not have the scope for ethics, nuance or humour – AI is selfish. It simply does not have the capacity for emotional intelligence and relationships, which ultimately makes the whole PR world go around.
In most cases, AI programs will relentlessly strive to complete a task as quickly as it can with tunnel vision and disregard as to how it will affect somebody else or the moral implications of its actions. Essentially, it’s PR’s nightmare client.
How can AI work for PR?
That said, AI has already transformed certain business functions that PR consultants will definitely need to embrace if they want to keep up with an ever-changing work environment. AI-driven automation software can fulfill repetitive-based data entry tasks much more quickly on a larger scale; these could be compiling media lists, tracking media coverage and issuing press releases.
AI could also recommend journalists and media outlets to PR practitioners based on their previous online searches. Like Netflix for example; you watch a certain film or series and then receive recommendations in line with your areas of interest. Apply this to PR and you could discover new contacts and establish relationships with outlets that you may never have initially thought of.
It’s impossible to predict exactly how AI will impact PR. However, it’s hard to imagine robots replacing humans in pitching, training, emotional analysis and development, and anything else that requires basic human emotion and interaction. Until AI can read between the lines, have a laugh or shed a tear, it will never be able to fully replace people whose work is focused on human engagement.