PR Knowledge Hub

It’s been a tragic start to the year. In just a few weeks we’ve seen devastating natural disasters around the world, killing thousands and affecting millions of people. Crisis has rolled into crisis and here in New Zealand we’ve just weathered our third major climate event since the year began with Cyclone Gabrielle taking lives and destroying homes and businesses. We’ve also seen some very different styles and approaches to leadership communication and this prompted one of the sections in this month’s PR Horizons update which looks at some of the highs and lows of crisis communication witnessed through each event and includes some tips for dealing with difficult leaders.

While crises have dominated collective thinking and focus - and rightly so - there have been other events on the horizon, including rapid developments in artificial intelligence, particularly with regard to search and two of the internet giants going head to head. The tussle for control between Microsoft and Google is discussed, along with implications of evolving AI for practitioners plus we touch on the business of trust, misinformation and rumour.

For a short time, the February briefing is free access for subscribers and you can take a look here.

​I hope it gives you some food for thought and a chance to reflect on some of the issues and horizons we need to watch this month.

Heading into Christmas, there was an early 'gift' from OpenAI this month with the release of a new model, ChatGPT. You can read their blog post here and it gives you the detail on how it works, what it does and how it can be used. It is extraordinarily clever and a powerful tool that can be used in a myriad of ways - but, as my motto remains - just because we can, doesn't mean we should. I've covered the ethics of AI and its application many times over the years and as the capability of tools such as ChatGPT increases, so too do the ethical challenges. Question is, will ChatGPT be on Santa's naughty or nice list this Christmas? Will people opt for the lazy route of generating content (which will mean a world where algorithms chat to each other but we don't) or will practitioners realise they are at a point of evolution for the profession where they can be eliminated by the tactical or elevated by wise counsel? Jury will be out on that for a while - meantime, Happy Christmas - ChatGPT had this to say on the season when I asked it to describe and explain Christmas (which it did in less than a second):

​"Christmas is a holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is typically celebrated on December 25th by Christians around the world and is considered to be one of the most important holidays in the Christian faith. The holiday is often marked by religious services, the exchange of gifts, and the decoration of homes and churches with festive decorations, such as Christmas trees, lights, and mistletoe. Many people also celebrate Christmas by preparing special meals and gathering with friends and family. The holiday has also been adopted by many non-religious people as a cultural celebration, and is often associated with secular traditions such as Santa Claus, gift-giving, and the singing of Christmas carols."

However you celebrate - enjoy the season.