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Can Storytelling in PR be automated through Artificial Intelligence?

Ruchi Jain


Competing to top the trend charts, Artificial Intelligence has become one of the most researched terms on the internet this year. Although this development has penetrated almost every sector, the Public Relations industry continues to remain stable and less affected by the emergence of this technology.

Integrated Marketing Communication at its core comprises various communication tools like advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion and public relations, to name a few. When in harmony with one another, said tools provide an optimized solution to communicating a message.

Though the former platforms under IMC typically involve hard selling, PR goes deeper than just this for an idea or a product. If a concept is to be introduced, it is essential that trust be built through the initial stages of PR communication. This is what differentiates PR from direct marketing and advertising. PR is about establishing credibility by building reputation through brand communication, backed by hardcore research and facts. Today, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are being utilized very effectively in simplifying jobs like research, data management and forecasting by PR professionals.

With AI, what’s in store in the coming years for Public Relations?

While audio-visual transcription, data-driven story writing, creation of media lists, social media monitoring and crisis management can easily be achieved with the help of AI, tasks like relationship building, strategy development and creative thinking will continue to rest with PR professionals. Here’s how:

Emotional Intelligence in PR:

One of the key strengths of PR professionals is undoubtedly their Emotional Intelligence. No machine can elicit human emotion, empathize or communicate like humans can.

Imagine a situation: You're watching the Cricket World Cup Final between India and Pakistan. India needs 10 runs to win in the last over. Dhoni is on strike. He hits a six on the last ball, making history yet again. Would you not prefer listening to human commentary, rather than a robot's? Would you not rather have a human voice amplify the expression of victory and augment the viewer experience? Pretty certain that the answer here is YES!

Indeed this is something that can never be replaced. Although robots have the capability to process and cull out information in a fraction of a second, the human touch will always hold its place in the field of communication.

Storytelling requires empathy towards the media

PR professionals today are abreast with media fraternity trends. They are regularly analyzing brands and competition. They leave no stone unturned in developing a positive and strong relationship with the media. This is primarily done by assisting journalists in overcoming the various challenges they face on a daily basis by providing unique stories and social media knowledge. Maintaining this dynamic is possible only with the intervention of humans - which will take decades, if at all, to transform.

PR is nothing without trust

Trust takes time to build. In PR, this is a conventional tool which cannot be mortgaged. Time and again it has been proved that PR is a trust making business. The credibility offered in PR is what makes the end receivers believe in the authenticity of the communication subject matter. Yet again, this requires humans.

Machine learning and AI have surely revolutionised the profession, but creative strategizing, media relationships and storytelling cannot be automated.

Artificial intelligence and human intelligence together, can have an incredibly synergistic effect on communication. While humans will continue to play an integral role in identifying story opportunities by thinking creatively and deriving strategies, AI will help automate mundane tasks and provide meaningful quantitative and/or qualitative insights, consequently offering relief, flexibility and space to humans to conduct the creative and strategic sides of the business effectively.



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