Since opening to the public for beta testing, ChatGPT has hit the world like a storm. In less than a week after its launch, the chatbot by OpenAI had amassed more than a million users and stunned users worldwide with its ability to provide detailed and even-human like responses and text.

Users were able to use the technology to have their questions answered, essays written and even have poems and songs constructed. In fact, The New York Times labelled it as “the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public”.

So, what does this all mean for communications professionals? Are we all doomed to lose our jobs to AI technologies? Put simply, we believe the answer is no.

ChatGPT is just another tool in the communications professional’s toolchest that can help to improve efficiency in their roles – rather than replace them altogether.

Since the invention of the internet, there have been significant technology advances that have helped communications professionals with their day-to-day work. Grammar checking programs, journalist databases, media monitoring, and even email ­have all helped professionals to produce better content and outcomes, more efficiently.

ChatGPT, like any of these tools, has its flaws and there are some aspects of a communications role that it cannot replace:

Being able to understand and communicate your brand and values

A communications professional will ensure an organisation’s brand and value proposition have impact and are top of mind for its stakeholders. It takes an expert communicator to be able to craft a unique brand narrative and to continuously develop interesting and creative content across multiple channels and platforms while also considering nuance and the bigger strategic picture.

Securing media coverage

Telling your story through the news media is one of the best ways to achieve brand recognition and audience influence. It takes a specific expertise and specialist skillset to be able to navigate the media landscape and craft compelling news and commentary that will capture the attention of journalists – and consumers alike.

Responding and preparing for a crisis

It is a specialised skill to be able to plan for, identify and manage reputational risks. A crisis and risk management expert works to forecast risks, assess executive team response capability, review, and test internal structures and identify key stakeholders. Over and above drafting content, these specialists understand the environment within which the business operates in order to respond appropriately.

Helping you to engage with stakeholders and communities

Stakeholder engagement and community relations is a vital aspect of any communications plan to ensure an organisation builds the trust and support of its key stakeholders.  A stakeholder engagement expert will work closely with an organisation to provide tailored advice and effective engagement programs.

These are only few examples of the importance of having a creative and out-of-the-box thinker on your team to drive your organisation’s communications strategy forward.

At BBS, our team of communication strategists, marketers, digital and social media campaigners, writers and creatives focuses on what we are very good at – crafting and telling our clients’ stories to help them build relationships which underpin enduring and profitable organisations.  For expert PR, marketing, and corporate communication advice contact us today.