In commemoration of World Public Relations Day, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, a respected Fellow and Member of the Governing Council at the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), delivered a compelling speech on “The Power of Public Relations and AI.” Ali-Balogun emphasized the indispensable role of human judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence in the field of public relations, asserting that AI can only serve as an augmenting tool, rather than a substitute for human expertise.
The speech harkened back to the 16th edition of the NECCI PR Roundtable in 2016, where Prof P.L.O Lumumba addressed the theme “Unleash The Power Of Public Relations.” Ali-Balogun noted that the theme remains more relevant than ever, highlighting the predictive and powerful nature of public relations.
While recognizing the advancements of AI, Ali-Balogun stressed that PR specialists excel in establishing, maintaining, and nurturing relationships with various stakeholders, including an organization’s target audience, the media, and opinion leaders. These aspects of PR, she argued, necessitate human involvement, as they require emotional engagement and continuous interaction. Despite AI’s ability to automate certain tasks, such as data analysis, media monitoring, content creation, and social media management, it lacks the ability to replicate the human touch that is intrinsic to public relations.
Ali-Balogun underscored the significance of emotions in PR, citing research that demonstrates the strategic use of affect and emotional appeals in messaging to enhance credibility, authenticity, and engagement. She emphasized that AI, with its absence of emotions, cannot achieve this level of effectiveness.
While acknowledging the potential of AI to enhance PR practices, Ali-Balogun urged practitioners to focus on harnessing its capabilities rather than fearing its potential to replace humans. She urged professionals to explore how AI can assist in areas such as crisis management, tailored messaging, and creativity. Ali-Balogun called for further research into personality traits, emotions, and motivations to better understand their impact on relationships and communication strategies.
Ali-Balogun concluded her speech by quoting AI’s own advice: “AI is a tool and not a substitute for human expertise.” She urged PR professionals to critically evaluate and interpret the insights provided by AI systems, leveraging their experience, judgment, and ethical considerations to make informed decisions. The integration of AI should complement and enhance the work of PR practitioners, allowing them to focus on strategic thinking, relationship-building, and managing complex communication challenges.
Oladele Rotimi, Immediate Past President of NIPR, echoed Ali-Balogun’s sentiments, emphasizing that the key differentiator between humans and AI is content. He highlighted that humans not only create content but also program AI to compete with human output. Rotimi concluded that, despite AI’s capabilities, it is still reliant on the remedial courses of action devised by humans.
As World PR Day was celebrated, Ali-Balogun’s speech called upon PR professionals to embrace AI as a supportive tool in the digital age. The focus, she argued, should be on utilizing AI effectively to enhance PR work and on fostering a unified global agenda to promote better understanding and utilization of public relations.
