Take advantage of AI to improve output - Mawuko Afadzinu urges PR practitioners

Public relations practitioners have been urged to take advantage of the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve output.

The immediate past President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana, Mawuko Afadzinu, said this would enable them to communicate effectively and efficiently between their respective organisations and the public.

He was speaking at this year's PR and communications national summit and general meeting at Nkwatia, in the Kwahu East District in the Eastern Region last Friday. The three-day event, which was on the theme: "PR excellence in the age of misinformation, disinformation and information overload," was attended by members of the institute, communicators, business leaders and students, among others.

The event also enabled the practitioners to take stock of the institute’s work over the years and deliberate on activities earmarked for the ensuing year. New executive were also elected to run the affairs of the institute for the next two-year period.

They are Esther Cobbah, President; Donald Dwira, Vice-President; Solace Akomea, Secretary; Abraham Otabil, Deputy Honorary Secretary, and Gabriel Nii Otu Ankrah, Treasurer.

Game-changer

Mr Afadzinu described AI as a game-changer and said if properly applied in public relations practice as well as communications, it could ensure quality performance. As practitioners, he said they must know how the public was feeling in order to craft AI to suitably address their concerns.

Mr Afadzinu said one of the biggest and costly PR failures was “credibility deficits” which, he said, made groups and stakeholders lose trust and faith in an organisation or a person.

“Good PR gives you very solid connection and a deep seated inextricable bond with the general public and that is what we are looking for to change the way we communicate. “We are also going to call out PR failures and explain why from our professional perspectives we consider those issues avoidable failures if we want to continue to remain relevant," he added.

Application of concept

For her part, Ms Esther Cobbah said PR work was not only the application of science, but an art and craft, adding that how the three were brought together to define the work was what made the difference.

The president, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications Africa, said her outfit would serve with humility, and at the same time have a listening ears for the work.

"We have agreed to make this journey a great one together, so let’s make it happen; a voice that resounds with impact in Ghana, continentally and internationally," Ms Cobbah said.

Information verification

The running mate of the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, said with the growing media landscape, verification of information before communicating was crucial.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who is also a former Minister of Education, therefore, advised PR professionals to be vigilant and always prioritise fact-checking to combat disinformation.

Writer's email: haruna.wunpini@graphic.com.gh