The challenges of AI seem to pre-occupying the attendees at this year’s Communication Directors Forum. How to incorporate AI tools into PR; what role should communication teams play within companies embracing AI strategies; and how to promote trust and defend reputation in an era of AI deepfakes.
AI is already being used in a way that undermines public trust. Earlier this year in Glasgow, the Willy Wonka inspired ‘Experience’ was promoted using AI-generated photographs, with actors at the event delivering AI generated scripts, for an event that was nothing like it promised. Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of Taylor Swift implying that she had endorsed him for President. Scarlett Johansson is claiming that ChatGPT used an imitation of her voice to promote its wares.
Re-purposing speech to create a false narrative is just one type of potential reputational harm that will require PR teams to respond; others will emerge. And as audiences become more suspicious of information and claims, so PR teams need to be increasingly proactive in their media monitoring; look to diminish the impact of AI-driven disinformation by earning public trust through media; and plan for AI-generated issues and crises (especially in the social media space). This is becoming a theme, and a scenario more frequently discussed with clients as part of Electric Airwaves’ crisis planning and training services.
But audiences are also yearning for more authentic interactions with brands and organisations. So you need to double down on your connection with them. Relying mainly or solely on ‘owned or paid media’ channels will not do that. Audiences still think to themselves “Well, you would say that wouldn’t you?”.
Earned media – content that you haven’t paid for or created yourself – should remain a key driver in building and sustaining audience trust. A positive media report from a reputable news outlet has long been viewed as more credible than a marketing claim, because the audience perceives the information as having been verified by an independent journalist. That has not changed.
CDF delegates are also planning to make greater use of LinkedIn next year. With more than 700 million users across the globe, LinkedIn allows organizations and individuals to showcase their thought leadership and capabilities to a wider audience and generate discussion with connections. But PR people need to amplify this – not just through owned channels but, you guessed it, earned media.
And it is not enough to sit in front of a journalist and just talk. You need to have crafted an engaging and compelling story about who you are and why, not just what you do and how. You need a commitment to truth. You need to have been challenged and tested by an impartial third party rather than the comms team marking their own homework. You still need Electric Airwaves’ media training.