Hutton,1999 identifies four stages of Public Relations (PR), starting from ‘the public be fooled’  improving to ‘the public be informed’, progressing to ‘the public be manipulated’ and concluding with ‘the public be involved”. Present day practitioners opine that the next stage is ‘the public be  evolved’. Now imagine a new stage largely driven by technology. This technology, known as  Artificial Intelligence (AI), is defined by IBM as a tool ‘that enables computers and machines to  simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities’.

Imagine a new stage where excellence in practice and efficiency in operations are the norm, an era  we are fortunate to live in. A stage where all we need is to integrate a tool into the PR practice and  it will provide numerous benefits and enhance the industry. A tool which is able to provide ideas  and inspiration and will gradually be able to eliminate writer’s block. A tool which enriches the  works of practitioners by bringing onboard new vocabulary and addresses linguistic challenges. A  tool that optimizes time and frees practitioners to allocate time to other strategic pursuits, thereby  improving competitiveness. A tool that helps practitioners make informed, data-driven decisions,  setting them apart as frontrunners among their peers.

Despite these benefits, some practitioners are rightfully concerned that AI may eventually render  them obsolete and therefore avoid embracing it. However, just as everything else, this tool has its  flaws and one of its shortcomings is creativity. Practitioners have an upper hand here because they  fuel their creativity through lived experiences and interactions while AI works within simulated  and predefined parameters.

Now imagine a world where AI and PR practitioners converge, each complimenting the strength  of the other. In this symbiotic relationship, AI ignites the fire, and practitioners offer their expertise  as fuel.

AI is not the problem, having limited knowledge is the problem. Ultimately, the crux lies in  practitioners’ familiarity and proficiency with this transformative tool. Embracing AI not as a  threat, but as a strategic ally, ushers a new era of innovation within the PR industry.