✅ Grab your copy of the AI in PR tools bestseller

A week in management, media and public relations

My new crowdsourced #FuturePRoof book, which features insights from 20 experts on AI in PR tools, became the number one Amazon bestseller in the public relations books category 24 hours after its launch.

Thank you to all the contributors, reviewers and everyone who has bought a copy.

The 120-page book consists of 21 chapters that explore both the potential benefits and ethical considerations around utilising AI for tasks such as writing, visual content creation, media monitoring, and measurement.

It includes large language models, productivity tools, and integrated platforms to help practitioners work smarter. The book aims to provide practical guidance on applying the latest innovations in AI to core public relations activities.

#PRstack: AI tools for marketing, media, and public relations has been published by #FuturePRoof and follows the crowdsourced format and learning design of previous projects. It’s available in Kindle and print formats but we’ll also start dropping each of the chapters on the #FuturePRoof website starting today.

Writing a book about a fast-moving area of technology has its challenges. Claude increased its context window and ChatGPT launched personal GPTs in the two weeks between locking down the manuscript and publication.

There is also an ongoing tension between large language models and third-party developers. We have seen solutions built on top of the AI models such as chatbots, editing, text-generation and summarisation tools, be cannibalised by subsequent generations of AI large language models.

The book focuses on the benefits of new AI tools but highlights the need for human skills in areas such as emotional intelligence, ethics, and relationship building. It also carries a heavy-duty disclaimer about data privacy, security and fact-checking.

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Artificial intelligence

💼 AI AUGMENTS PR: A UK government report found that public relations is highly exposed to large language models such as ChatGPT that could automate tactical activities, but less exposed to AI overall as strategic skills such as creativity and relationship management are harder to automate. Source: Wadds Inc. 

⚠️ GOVERNANCE NEEDED: Employees are using AI generative tools at work without formal approval. 64% have passed off AI-generated work as their own. Companies urgently need to implement guidelines and training on generative AI so employees understand the risks and benefits of these tools. Source: Wadds Inc.

😂 FT ON OPENAI: Rutherford Hall, the FT's fictional corporate communication strategist, criticised the board shenanigans at OpenAI, highlighting the new board's lack of diversity. He also poked fun at AI's inability to support an organisation with a relationship or reputation perspective. Source: Financial Times.

Good and bad public relations

📮 POST OFFICE SCANDAL: A former Post Office security manager's testimony about a "clear fear" that investigating Horizon issues could undermine past convictions suggests senior leaders knew the system had problems. It adds to evidence of a potential criminal conspiracy to pervert justice. Source: Nick Wallis.

🥧 FESTIVE BISTRO: Greggs has opened a fine dining pop-up restaurant in Newcastle. It offers a menu with elevated twists on Greggs’ favourites such as the festive bake, steak bake, and sausage rolls in a Parisian-inspired setting. The bistro will be open from until New Year's Eve with bookable tables and some left for walk-ins. Source: Independent.

🤦 COSTLY MISTAKES: The UK Covid inquiry heard from former health secretary Matt Hancock, who admitted the government made mistakes including locking down too late and failing to protect care homes, costing many lives. It also heard from Michael Gove, who described chaos and dysfunction at the heart of government during the pandemic. Source: Tortoise.

🌍 ECO AD BANS: The ASA has banned ads by vape brand ELFBAR and carmaker Renault for making misleading environmental claims. ELFBAR implied its single-use vapes were fully recyclable when there was limited opportunity for recycling while Renault suggested independent testing showed 80% electric driving in cities for its new hybrid when only internal tests were done. Source: ASA.

Research

♀️ SLOW GENDER PROGRESS: Women still hold only one in five senior commercial positions in the UK's 350 biggest publicly traded companies, according to the Women Count report. The report argues that companies have blind spots and move too slowly to address barriers keeping women from top jobs and that balanced leadership benefits decision-making and public image. Source: The Pipeline.

♻️ ESG EFFORTS LAG: Despite increased attention on ESG issues, most companies are not making meaningful progress and lack the fundamental shifts in strategy and operations necessary to meet critical goals such as the Paris Agreement. Companies must integrate ESG factors into internal strategy and operations and link sustainability targets to financial performance. Source: Harvard Business Review. 

Media

✖️ AD EXODUS ACCELERATES: More advertisers will likely leave X after Elon Musk lashed out at brands for leaving the platform. Disney Warner Brothers suspended advertising on X earlier last month following Musk's endorsement of an antisemitic post that falsely claimed members of the Jewish community were stoking hatred. Source: Reuters. 

📺 CUTS RESHAPE: BBC News is cutting 127 jobs across news and current affairs, including 34 at the Newsnight show, which will be reformatted into a shorter interview and discussion programme focused less on original reporting. An additional 147 digital roles are in areas such as AI and investigations to shift resources online. Source: Press Gazette.

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Applications for the first Socially Mobile cohort of 2024 close this week. The 10-week executive education programme helps public relations practitioners develop management skills. Funded and paid-for places are available.

Thank you to the following members of the House of Marketing & PR community of practice for sharing and debating stories covered in the newsletter over the last week: Andrew Bruce Smith, Julian Christopher, Slavina Dimitrova, David Edmundson-Bird, Richard Leyland, Craig McGill, Alan Morrison, Mike Parker, Nigel Sarbutts and Sarah Waddington CBE.