In the dynamic realm of communications, embracing cutting-edge technology is key to staying ahead in a fast-paced, ever-evolving landscape. Enter ChatGPT, an ingenious language model developed by OpenAI. With its ability to automate responses, generate content and provide real-time updates, ChatGPT has sparked excitement among communications professionals.
However, it is crucial to delve into the limitations and potential pitfalls of this technology. In this article, we explore the advantages and challenges associated with incorporating ChatGPT into PR practices.
So…did you find that introduction engaging and informative? If so, I can’t take too much credit as it was written using ChatGPT – were you able to tell? What did you think?
ChatGPT as a valuable resource for more than just copywriting
It is near impossible to comprehend the capabilities of ChatGPT, both within communications and beyond. The platform can be used for anything imaginable, whether planning an itinerary for an upcoming holiday, creating a meal and exercise plan or answering almost any question you might have.
With its ease of use and fast response times, it is not a surprise that nearly a third of marketing professionals have used ChatGPT at work, according to a survey reported on by Time at the beginning of the year. Its use in marketing and communications has spanned everything from writing social media posts and planning communications calendars to even generating creative ideas for campaigns.
Companies such as TUI have also started to implement the platform into their business strategy to improve customer satisfaction. In the UK, TUI added ChatGPT to its mobile app to provide informative responses about holiday destinations and personalised recommendations. This initiative is just a first step in implementing AI capabilities across TUI’s business.
For those who have not yet used the software, it is important to remember that its output is more valuable depending on the amount of information inputted.
However, it is vital to remember that ChatGPT should be viewed as a resource rather than a complete solution.
Addressing limitations
ChatGPT, and AI in general, has many limitations that need to be considered before using the tool to generate communications strategies.
Firstly, ChatGPT cannot replace human interaction, no matter how complex the platform is. AI solutions lack human and emotional intelligence, which is fundamental within any communications strategy. When it comes to crafting compelling campaigns that resonate with your audience, ChatGPT might fall short because it cannot understand emotional nuances or subtleties.
Similarly, while AI technology can generate creative ideas, up to an extent, these platforms are not programmed to provide original thinking. This means that while they might offer the foundation for a creative campaign, a company’s own knowledge and audience experience will be crucial when creating a fully-fledged plan.
AI is even limited when it comes to carrying out research. While these tools can be helpful when you are learning a particular topic from scratch, they might occasionally provide inaccurate information. Until recently, ChatGPT’s knowledge was based solely on data up until September 2021, while an update that allows the system to access current information is only available to some premium users at the time of writing.
Because of this, it is always important to cross-reference outputs generated by ChatGPT with reliable sources online.
Finally, despite AI tools often providing a starting point in terms of copywriting, there is no way to guarantee these solutions will generate a piece in your company’s tone of voice. Despite the fact these systems can be fed prompts – such as instructions to make the piece more ‘confident’ or ‘friendlier’, any copy they produce will almost certainly need a personal touch to make it align with your brand.
Striking the right balance and using AI efficiently
In summary, ChatGPT should be viewed as a potentially useful tool to support your wider communications strategy efforts, as opposed to a standalone solution.
With new technologies continuously evolving, it is important to understand their benefits and limitations and perform a full evaluation of how they can support your business.
So, what’s next for AI? No one can be completely certain about AI’s capabilities and how the future will look. However, you can guarantee that AI will never replace the value of face-to-face interactions and human intelligence, which is vital within communications.
To understand more about how to implement the latest technology, such as AI, into your communications strategy, let’s have a chat: hello@8020comms.com
Research links:
Survey Reveals 30% of Professionals Have Tried ChatGPT at Work | Time
