Two must read reports analysed - AI and Crisis Communication Summary

Dear reader,

Recently, two important reports have been published that require our immediate attention, especially in the fields of AI and crisis communication.

• The European Communication Monitor 2023: This year's edition is an annual cornerstone in our field and offers invaluable insights that should not be missed.

• CIPR's “Humans needed, more than ever”: A commendable effort to track the seismic shifts AI is causing in the PR landscape.

In this issue, I distil the essence of these reports and focus on the implications and actionable strategies for AI in crisis communications.

Look forward to deep insight that cuts through the noise and delivers precise, actionable insights. 👍

The European Communications Monitor - 2023

The report addresses numerous areas of crisis communication and highlights the need for this capability in today's hyper-connected environment. One of the most important concerns addressed is the importance of training for communication personnel.

According to the document, self-development, mentoring, and networking are essential components of developing a strong crisis communication strategy. These qualities are crucial not only for the main communication staff, but also for the whole organisation.

The report offers a more nuanced approach by discussing the role of ordinary staff as good communicators, especially in crisis situations. According to Cheng and Lee (2019), authentic forms of communication become increasingly important in environments where trust is lacking.

According to them, ordinary employees, especially those with large social networks, can act as business influencers. This is a significant departure from standard crisis communication techniques, which often rely primarily on senior executives or official spokespeople.

The report also discusses the impact of the digital revolution on crisis communication. It states that social media platforms have gained unprecedented importance as tools for stakeholder communication and crisis management. (really? 😅)

Digital platforms have made it easier to reach different audiences, but they have also made communication more complicated. We now need more sophisticated and adaptable methods.

Finally, the report summarises the problems of today by highlighting the importance of building relationships in times of misinformation and mistrust. This is a call to action for organisations to build and maintain trust and share information during a crisis.

The report offers a multi-faceted view of crisis communications, emphasising the need for a well-trained communications team, the role of staff as authentic communicators, the value of using digital platforms, and the need to build trust.

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Humans needed, more than ever, from CIPR

The report addresses the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the field of public relations and crisis communication.

Broadly speaking, AI supports about 40% of public relations tasks. AI supports different tasks to different extents. Data analytics and social media management have the highest level of support at 53-54%. On the other hand, partnership management has the lowest level of support, with only 13%.

Despite their growing influence, the adoption of AI tools in the industry has been relatively slow. While the release of ChatGPT has provided a boost, a significant number of users are still unaware of the technologies available to them.

AI is great for automating mundane and repetitive tasks such as transcription, monitoring, and data measurement, allowing professionals to focus on more complex aspects of outreach that involve analysing large data sets.

However, AI has its limitations. It cannot replicate the nuanced human skills that are essential for strategic public relations tasks, such as deliberation, ethical analysis, judgement, and empathy.

AI has advantages like improved efficiency and better understanding. However, it also brings challenges regarding responsible usage, bias, transparency, and adaptability to fast changes.

In the area of crisis communications, AI's data analytics capabilities can help identify potential problems, but the formulation of strategies remains essentially human.

To ensure responsible use of AI, there is an urgent need for AI use guidelines, ethical considerations, fact-checking mechanisms, and brand style editing. Human oversight is essential for the governance of AI systems.

Finally, there is an urgent need for comprehensive training on the effective and ethical use of AI tools. Professional associations have a critical role to play in setting educational standards and guidelines for the industry.

What I am reading/testing/checking out:

• Verble - a free AI speech writing assistant that helps you master the art of verbal persuasion and storytelling.

• Silatus: Silatus searches over 100,000 credible sources, including sources you provide, to generate detailed reports in seconds.

• Andrew Sheve’s Blog on Risk Management. Every time a great read and insights on risk management and the use of AI.

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