Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic, with countless new tools and applications hitting the market on a regular basis. Among the most talked about of these new AI tools is ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text responses to a wide range of prompts and feedback.

With the influx of generative AI tools, what do public relations professionals need to know?

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT, or Generative Pre-trained Transformer, was launched in November 2022 and can quickly compose text in a variety of formats including articles, press releases, blog posts, and ad copy. It can also be asked questions to help gather research, or as an editing tool, providing alternate word choices and sentence structure suggestions.

Trained on a large dataset of text from the internet, ChatGPT is designed to learn and adapt to new situations. As it interacts with humans and formulates text, it is constantly learning and improving its ability to understand and communicate. This means that it can be trained to understand specific topics and industries and can be used to create content that is tailored to specific personas.

What are Other Examples of AI Tools?

ChatGPT is just one example of the many AI-powered technologies that are rapidly emerging in various industries. AI technology is being used to improve automation, enhance decision-making, and optimize various processes, likely with more functionality to come. Here are a few examples:

  • Chatbots: Designed to provide 24/7 customer service and support, AI-powered chatbots can handle large volumes of customer inquiries and respond quickly.
  • Predictive analytics: AI algorithms can analyze large datasets to identify patterns and make predictions about future outcomes. This technology is being used in various industries to improve decision-making and optimize processes. For example, in healthcare, AI-powered predictive analytics can be used to identify patients who are at risk of developing certain health conditions, allowing healthcare providers to intervene early and provide preventative care.
  • AI-powered recommendation engines: Used to improve customer experiences, these engines use machine learning algorithms to analyze customer data and provide personalized recommendations. This technology is used by companies to suggest products and content based on a customer's browsing and viewing history.
  • Supply chain management: AI-powered algorithms can analyze data from various sources, such as weather forecasts, shipping schedules, and inventory levels, to optimize supply chain operations.

As new technologies like AI emerge, they often spur discussion and on-the-go learning. For example, the use of AI in the education sector and the art world has prompted debate about the most effective ways to incorporate AI tools while establishing appropriate guidelines and safeguards.

Students are using generative AI to refine their research skills and assist in drafting first drafts of essays. On one hand, ChatGPT can be viewed as a tool, like a calculator. On the other hand, students may rely solely on ChatGPT, avoid doing their own work, and risk committing plagiarism.

AI-generated portraits and AI imaging are causing some debate in the art world. The winner of the Sony World Photography Award 2023 won for a photograph he submitted but then revealed his work was created using AI, prompting the need for guidance when it comes to art competitions.

AI, Public Relations, Marketing Content, and Beyond

ChatGPT is a powerful tool for public relations and content creation professionals. With the ability to produce content with only a few prompts, drafts of press releases, blog posts, guides, and more are produced in seconds. With its language processing capabilities, ChatGPT can analyze and understand the nuances of different target audiences and can generate content that is specifically designed to appeal to those audiences, helping PR pros quickly personalize content to specific audiences.

Muck Rack recently launched its new beta AI-powered tool, PressPal.ai, designed to draft press releases and serve up a list of relevant journalists who may be interested in your news based on the content of your PressPal.ai-drafted release. After reviewing and finalizing your press release, it can easily be pitched to the list of journalists using Muck Rack’s Pitch tool.

HubSpot also recently announced the launch of two new AI-powered tools aimed to boost productivity and save time. Content Assistant helps with content ideation and creation, like generating blog post titles and outlines, or writing landing page or email copy. ChatSpot.ai is designed to help HubSpot customers complete tasks like adding contacts to the HubSpot CRM, creating custom reports, and drafting personalized sales emails.

Einstein GPT, Adobe Firefly, Prophet.ai, GregoryAi…there will continue to be a wave of new tools like these launched in the coming months, and several will be of assistance to communications professionals.

What Kind of PR Content Can AI-assisted Writing Tools Generate?

Forward-thinking PR and communications professionals can use AI-powered tools to create:

  • First drafts of pitches and press releases
  • Potential headlines
  • Copy for social media posts
  • Document outlines
  • Text summaries
  • Interview prep materials
  • Transcriptions
  • and any other communications content that could benefit from an expedited first draft

Working with Tools Like ChatGPT

As exciting and helpful as generative AI tools are, there’s still a need for the human element – especially when it comes to communications.

While ChatGPT can quickly generate loads of text, sometimes bias or inaccuracies may slip through. ChatGPT was trained using data up to 2021, so until its training catches up to 2023, PR pros should watch for outdated data and edit inaccurate information before noting any drafts as final. (Version 3.5 was launched in November 2022 and is available for free; version 4 was launched in March 2023, is $20/month, and has some upgrades, but for now, both have database recency up to 2021.)

As AI tools continue to be developed and refined, it’s essential to use ChatGPT in tandem with human expertise, not as a substitute. As with any press release or marketing communication, the content generated by AI tools should undergo thorough fact-checking and proofreading. With careful human editorial review and expertise, AI-assisted writing software is a great tool to add to a PR pro’s toolbox.

As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more AI-powered tools and applications that will help improve decision-making, optimize processes, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Learn more

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