Purely Piper

I remain undecided about the career I want to pursue, the major I want to declare, and the path I want to take in my life. Each time I feel that I am closer to an answer, advancement interrupts. The implementation of artificial intelligence has reshaped the job landscape for young professionals. Looking at the predictions for what A.I. will be able to do in the coming years is shocking to me. Careers that used to be stable have been disrupted by this innovation. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence has both helped and harmed the workforce. How can one know what path to pursue when A.I. seems to know everything? 

I have always felt a strong affinity toward the people side of business. Working with individuals, providing the foundation or support they need to achieve their goals is incredibly rewarding. In the age of A.I., human connection and people skills are what remain irreplaceable. However, artificial intelligence continues to impact the human-focused fields all the same. 

I want to work in a nonprofit organization, crisis communications, or brand management. At first, I couldn’t imagine how A.I. would affect these fields, but after consulting A.I. itself my perspective changed. PR firms are working on how to balance high-tech with high-touch work. These organizations hold trust as their main “product.” This was reaffirmed by the response that Gemini produced. 

Nonprofits build trust by seeing that donations will be allocated correctly, while brands trust PR firms to protect their reputation after a scandal. The ability of a crisis manager or development director to be successful is rooted in their integrity and trustworthiness. Gemini highlighted that, “As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes a standard office tool, we face a paradox: AI can make us hyper-efficient at a time when resources are thin, but it also creates new ethical “flashpoints” that can destroy the very trust we work so hard to build.” 

A.I. can automate entry-level positions, helping eliminate salary costs for nonprofits. Within this field, Gemini highlighted several benefits and challenges. Artificial Intelligence can help make donor stewardship more efficient, speed up crisis response time, and help nonprofits produce high level grants at no cost. Cision also echos Gemini’s findings in their own article, commenting on the efficiency of outreach and media monitoring in the modern day. On the flip side, the implementation of A.I. can increase toward wealthy donors, reduce personalization in letters, and increase the risk of client information being leaked in a data breach. 

In a field rooted in trust, the use of A.I. has a fine line between what is ethical and what is not. Public relations is about building rapport, whether in being nonprofit work, crisis communications, or brand management. It is important that this is kept in the forefront as decisions are made within a company. Connection cannot be sacrificed for efficiency. 

To continue to advance in the industry of public relations and strategic communication, we must learn to work with A.I., not against it. In terms of data and analytics I think it is fair to streamline the process and improve efficiency through using A.I. Though it is a field all about human connection, we cannot sacrifice that part of the role. It is important that we prioritize this while still working to innovate and reduce costs for our company.