Professor Anne Gregory has led a CIPR AIinPR project over the last 12 months to review the impact of AI on professional occupations including PR. Kerry Sheehan is the panel’s new leader.

The CIPR’s artificial intelligence (AIinPR) panel has published a literature repository following an intensive 12-month review of nearly 200 global publications on AI and its impact on the professions. It includes academic and popular culture sources.

Dan Slee has written up a review of the project on his personal blog: A three little pigs warning about AI in PR that you need to pay attention to.

AI and public relations: a literature review

The review suggests that PR is significantly is failing to get to grips with the impact of AI on society and practice itself according to panel member and project lead Professor Anne Gregory.

“Other professions have already done major work on the shape of their future workforce, reviewing education and training, looking at their future role in organisations and society and at the ethics of AI. We need to get cracking and get on with some serious work in all these areas,” she said.

CIPR AIinPR vice chair Kerry Sheehan spoke about the research on Friday at the annual summit of the Public Relations Society of Kenya.

“Our initial research on AI makes really stark reading for the PR sector as it shows that we are way behind on adopting any innovation,” she said.

“As a profession which provides strategic management function driving business, profiles, profits and purpose – and the ones who should be best placed to promote AI to aid the public’s adoption of good AI to realise its benefits - we have a vital role to play  - we need to take this seriously.”

The panel is calling on practitioners to submit their own contributions via a shared document which will form the basis of a final report – The Effects of AI on the Professions – due to be launched at The Turing Institute in London on 16 January. All submissions accepted to the repository will be fully credited.

More information on the CIPR’s AIinPR work, including the globally-leading Humans Still Needed research by Jean Valin; contributions to the UK Government and European Commission reports on AI; and work with technology and AI development industries across the world can be found on the CIPR website.

New chair for AIinPR panel: Kerry Sheehan

Finally, some personal news. After setting up and leading the AIinPR panel in 2017 I’m handing over its leadership to Kerry.

The AIinPR panel is a small group of motivated practitioners that has a significant contribution to knowledge through research, practitioner guides and teaching materials, but as the latest literature review shows there’s lots more to do, notably engaging the broader profession.

My thanks to Chris Dolan, Anne Gregory, Maria Loupa, Sharon O’Dea, Laura Richards, Kerry Sheehan, Matt Silver, Andrew Smith, Emma Thwaites, Ben Verinder, Martin Waxman, and Jon White.

Kerry in particular has  made a huge contribution to the panel’s work and been instrumental in sharing its message within CIPR communities and further afield. She’s forged relationships with organisations such and the International Data Science Foundation and the Turing Institute. I’m delighted that she’ll be continuing to drive forward the work of the panel.