• by Judith Ingleton - Beer , June 20, 2023

In 2022, Microsoft invested $1 billion in GPT to save the reputation of its beleaguered search engine Bing. It caught Google napping, but then came the creation of Bard as the war for AI-driven search begun.

This battleground provides an interesting backdrop. Critical questions are being raised about the use of AI in PR, and while some B2B professionals are yet to adapt to AI, others are already using ChatGPT.

To avoid giving the robots too much autonomy, and to learn important communication lessons, there are a number of issues to consider.

The ChatGPT wake-up call for PR and marketing pros: Despite the rise of the machine, B2B PR and marketing professionals should place their attention on human generated copy and marketing speak. Machines aren’t just beginning to write like humans, humans are beginning to write like machines. Marketers should stop speaking in overcomplicated cliches and start crafting pieces that convey real ideas and thoughts.

What ChatGPT can’t and won’t do. Quality writing is fueled by intention, and ChatGPT can’t replace the unique perspectives and relationships of B2B professionals, including their creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

Critical thinking is the most fundamental of these skills – to understand causes from correlations, remove biases, and distinguish fact from fiction. Selling new and original developments and solutions require targeting copy at different audiences with different needs. AI chatbots can’t read into a situation the same way as humans do.

The legal and ethical lens is on ChatGPT. Users need to believe that generated text is factually correct – but with tens of millions of new web pages created daily, could ChatGPT cause copyright troubles? And where should B2B PR and marketers stand?

The issue is that ChatGPT doesn’t reveal its primary sources, which could lead to Google banning AI-generated content for SEO purposes, and the U.S. Copyright Office launching an examination of copyright law surrounding AI.

For now, communicators should apply caution to any external-facing use of output from ChatGPT, and wait for official guidance on the use of AI in PR and marketing.

Working collaboratively with AI – should B2B communicators ride the AI wave? B2B communications can reap many benefits from ChatGPT, such as using data-driven insights in research or streamlining repetitive tasks. But overuse AI, and issues could arise.

Simply put, B2B pros should treat AI as a complementary tool to achieve a higher level of consumer engagement and use their own creativity and critical thinking to keep content cutting-edge and ensure their content strategies stay ahead of the competition.