CIPR’s STATE OF THE PROFESSION 2018: THE IMPACT OF AI AND NEW TECHNOLOGY ON PUBLIC RELATIONS
By Anthony Olabode Ayodele (Chart.PR, MCIPR, FIIM IDM CPD Award 2017 & 2018) Highlighting the fact that elements of ‘the most commonly undertaken activities in PR (established as ‘copywriting, editing and Media Relations’- alongside Social Media Relations – another big-time PR activity) are at risk of automation , CIPR’s most recently released State of the Profession (2018) report brings PR’s Practitioners face to face with the question whether they are really prepared for the continuous change the future is set to ‘impact’ upon the profession. An over two-minute video summary on the report goes further to state PR ‘faces a longer-term challenge to establish new sources of value to counter the risk posed by Artificial Intelligence and New Technology’. Proponents of the latter two elements however would argue rather than poise as a risk A.I and New Technology enhance the profession. The question remains whether activities that require their introduction remain...