Generative AI, like ChatGPT, has become a part of the fabric of the Digital Age, providing instantaneous and unfettered access to a global repository of information. Technology has delivered on its promise to improve the day-to-day lives of a tech-centric population. For businesses, harnessing AI can amplify their brand awareness and connect them with more customers. However, companies need to be wary of the potential dark side of this otherwise transformative tech, with its capacity to manipulate public opinion. This requires a proactive approach by implementing a bold brand strategy that will direct public discourse.
AI: Friend of Foe?
Americans have mixed feelings about the inescapable reach of AI. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 52% of Americans report being more concerned than excited about AI’s increasing influence in their daily lives, up 14% since 2022. Tools like ChatGPT and its contemporaries are changing the way people interact with technology. There are growing concerns about AI’s well-intentioned promise of a brighter future due to its ability to shape public opinion. Businesses and their communication teams must develop solid and effective communication strategies amidst this Cognitive Industrial Revolution.
By viewing and harnessing AI as a friend rather than an enemy, businesses can take advantage of its sway over public sentiment by harnessing its power to consistently develop brand awareness and guide the narrative. To navigate this AI-driven era, businesses need to be open and transparent and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
A Call to Action | More Communication, Not Less
To capitalize on the AI revolution, businesses need to lead the way in thought leadership by enhancing their communication through reputable third-party channels, including the media and influencers. The influencer marketing sector is on fire, projected to reach a value of $24 billion by the end of 2024. With 55% of brands harnessing AI to identify influencers and 63% applying AI in their campaign executions, the communication landscape is expanding. This necessitates brands to proactively manage and shape their narratives to influence their target audiences effectively. Failure to do so allows others to shape these narratives in their stead.
However, embracing this shift demands a departure from complacent strategies in public relations and public opinions. Traditional engagement strategies in these areas have been neglected, with only a minority understanding the strategic shaping of public opinions. As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, the importance of compelling storytelling at the beginning of the customer journey, or top of the PR>Marketing<Sales funnel, cannot be overstated. Winning in this new era of cognitive engagement will require a concentrated effort in three critical areas, each representing significant undertakings and study:
1. Mastering the Codified Body of Knowledge of Public Opinion
Businesses need to educate themselves on the structured set of principles and facts that govern public opinion. By researching case studies, current theories, and the history of public relations, businesses can better understand what resonates with the public and how their opinions are formed and swayed. In this way, organizations can formulate messages more likely to be well-received and widely disseminated.
2. Understanding Algorithms
By investing time in analyzing the algorithms guiding social media platforms, search engines, and the media, organizations can better anticipate and influence how their content is distributed and viewed by their target audience and ensure their brand message gains traction.
3. Developing Strong Strategic Communications Plans
Businesses must develop powerful communication strategies that can quickly adapt to the dynamic nature of technology and public opinion throughout all channels of the PR>Marketing>Sales funnel. This involves ensuring clarity in their brand’s message, maintaining consistency across all platforms, and promptly responding to feedback from their audiences. A robust communication strategy also encompasses crisis management planning to proactively address any potential problems early on and swiftly mitigate any damage to the brand’s reputation.
AI Can Work for You to Build Your Brand
Incorporating these ideas can assist businesses in reaping the benefits of harnessing AI and boosting positive public sentiment, guaranteeing boosted relevance and favorable perception in an ever more AI-driven digitized world.
Understanding the principles of influencing and being in control of public opinion allows businesses to shape their brand narrative effectively. AI should be seen as a cognitive revolution, democratizing technology and enabling individuals to enhance their creative capabilities.
Many businesses underestimate their capacity to shape public opinion. However, by grasping the principles of managing public perception, they can oversee their brand awareness, strategize their brand’s direction, and influence public perception of their company from a very proactive stance, rather than reactive.
