EMBRACING THE 4IR IN THE WORLD OF PR: FUTURE TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS
Have you ever wondered what a life without technology is like? Constantly going back and forth with "Do we really need technology" Read my blog and at the end, you decide whether we need technology or not.
Van Dyk (2020) predicts that the significant 4IR technologies that will impact the PR industry are: Artificial intelligence which will require a significant upskilling of PR skills, IoT(internet of things) devices will exponentially grow the amount of data being generated, which will need a change in the way we measure and evaluate audience behavior, break-down of trust which in future will be a challenge in the PR industry.
Just from reading this, we can understand that future trends and innovation in PR are poised to have an immense impact on the industry, shaping how we as PR practitioners engage with audiences, we tell a brand’s stories, and much more.
ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND:
Did you know that our brain development can be influenced by AI and technology use both positively and negatively?
AI-powered tools can help anyone ranging from doctors, and researchers to PR practitioners or students trying to cheat in an assignment.
Not only is AI great for helping you cheat but it is also an excellent aid to help with unbiased decisions, simply because humans are wired to emotions AI on the other hand is not and is devoid of all types of emotions and will most likely take a practical and rational approach.
So, if you ever want to break up with your partner but you don’t want to face them? Use AI and I promise it will do the trick.
AI TO TRANSFORM PR:
Artificial Intelligence has played a significant role in the PR industry today, simply because AI is now able to mimic human intelligence to perform tasks. “AI is intended to enhance human capabilities not replace them”
I mean how could anyone be mad at this adorable bot for replacing them? But can we honestly trust a bot to tell us otherwise?
More or less as technology continues to advance, public relations will continuously rely on digital tools and platforms for communications, building authentic relationships and harnessing the power of visual storytelling a brand/organization and engaging with audiences effectively.
WHAT CAN WE TAKE FROM ALL THIS?
Because AI is constantly evolving each second of every day, it can help you provide insights into what’s working and what is not within your brand, with this you can tailor strategies and deliver the right content to the right people.
I believe that we can never get rid of AI or technology itself no matter how hard we try because like it or not technology is a crucial part of what makes the digital industry what it is today.
As humans, we need to stop being afraid of how AI will replace us but rather what we can benefit from it and what joining forces will do for our future.







