Experts’ gathered at the Annual General Meeting and Public Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Kano Chapter, expressed the opinion that artificial intelligence (AI) is only capable of efficiently substituting for manual labour and cannot negate the necessity of human input. Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, the guest speaker, questioned the overestimation of AI in his address titled “Artificial Intelligence and Spin Doctoring in Public Relations Practice in Nigeria.” He pointed out that while AI helps people in all fields, including PR and data collection, it will never be able to replace human instinct, interactivity and creativity.
Prof. Adamu emphasized that the human aspect is difficult to replace with the technology, as successful PR plans necessitate the knowledge and expertise of competent professionals. In recognition that artificial intelligence has become an indispensable facet of the business landscape, given its capacity for novel prospects and development, Adamu, a professor in Science Education, Media and Cultural Communication, posited that AI ought to be regarded as a mere tool and lacks the emotional ability required in some parts of business activities.
Value of human interaction creativity in PR cannot be replaced.
Similarly, Yushau Shuaib, managing director of Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR), also portends that artificial intelligence cannot replace human intelligence but can only supplement it and help professionals in areas such as audience targeting, content creation, media engagement, online reputation management, and crisis management. He argued that the use of artificial intelligence was nothing new, citing a wide range of similar existing tools such as search engines, location search tools, spell checkers, and reverse image apps, among others. However, its potential cannot be overlooked, he added.
Dr. Ike Neliaku, NIPR’s president, praised the Kano Chapter of NIPR and Governing Council member Dr. Sule Yau Sule for organizing the lecture on contemporary matters. He argued that the intrinsic value of humans in the area of PR, particularly capacity for creativity in interaction, is a quality that artificial intelligence is incapable of replacing. Kano’s Commissioner of Information Alhaji Baba Dantiye urged practitioners to use the most up-to-date methods of communication possible. He suggested that NIPR offer more capacity building programs for spokespersons and PR specialists in the area of AI
AI has been adopted by the company in numerous areas.
Acknowledging the value of AI in PR, the company adopted it across all of their operations, including audience targeting, content development, media interaction, perception index, online reputation management, and sentiment analysis during a crisis communication. Predictive analytics, media monitoring, budgeting, social media management, video production, and speech-to-text contents are just a few of the areas where some of the technology is put to use. Dr. Neliaku proposed to collaborate with IMPR following a recent briefing on the areas of collaboration by NIPR Vice President, Professor Emma Dandaura.
He said that a seasoned spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau Sule, had been appointed to lead the Planning Committee in charge of organizing the national spokespersons’ workshop, which would be attended by governors, ministers, and senators. In his word, “On the request of IMPR for partnership on its annual Spokespersons’ Communication Awards, we hope the forthcoming National Spokespersons Summit that has been approved by the Minister of Information and National Orientation will also be a better platform to showcase and celebrate outstanding public relations campaigns by organizations and individuals.
The proposed workshop will focus on ways AI can be used in PR.
Furthermore, Dr. Neliaku said, “With what I have seen at the NIPR Conference in Kano, our proposed workshop will also focused on various ways in which artificial intelligence can be used in PR practise, the technological tools, the potential risks and benefits, the ethical considerations, and likely case studies so that participants can stay abreast of the latest development.” Spotlight of the event was the presentation of honorary awards to Prof. Adamu and Mr. Shuaib, and the presentation of books published by PRNigeria staff to Dr. Neliaku, his immediate predecessor Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo, and a member of the institute’s Governing Council, Mr. Bashir Adamu Chedi.
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