By reporter
Communication CS Eliud Owalo has urged the Public relations practitioners to embrace technology to promote professionalism and improve the sector.
Owalo said technology will enable PR professionals to precisely target specific audiences based on demographics, interest and behavior.
He said personalized communication strategies are more effective in engaging and resonating with diverse audiences.
“We are living in a world of new emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence tools analyze vast amounts of data quickly providing insights into audience behavior, preference and trends,” he said.
The CS spoke during the opening of the 2023 Public Relations Society of Kenya Annual Summit at the Diamond Leisure Lodge in Diani, Kwale County.
The Summit has brought together over 600 delegates from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Zambia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America to discuss the latest trends and challenges in the field.
The Summit explored how PR practitioners can retrospect, reimagine, reposition while adopting agile PR Practices to cope with a rapidly disrupted, fragmented, and polarized world.
Owalo said technology allows for social listening through monitoring online conversation in real time, providing valuable insights into public sentiments and enabling proactive PR responses.
He said it is the supportive role of communication to build trust, promote transparency and ensure the government engages with the public in meaningful ways.
PRSK president Arik Karani said that AI has the potential to help PR professionals identify, analyze, and debunk false information more effectively, thereby protecting the integrity of their communications and the trust of their audiences.
“In today’s digital age, misinformation in the form of fake news, ChatGP, and deepfakes is a rapidly evolving and interconnected world that can spread rapidly and have significant consequences for individuals, organizations, and society,” he said.
He added that PR practitioners must leverage AI to increase their capabilities, from data-driven insights for strategic decision-making to crafting personalized and targeted communication.
Karani said misinformation, which has turned some publicity campaigns into crises, makes it imperative for practitioners to be vigilant against fake news and misrepresentation.
He said as the industry seeks to leverage AI to open new frontiers for creativity, efficiency, and impact, it is lobbying the government to establish industry standards that reflect the principles of accuracy, transparency, and ethical communication.
Karani added that PRSK through the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, has submitted the Institute of Public Relations and Communications Management bill for cabinet approval.
He said the initiative establishes a legal framework for public relations in Kenya to further elevate the industry’s standards.
