This year, AI continued to make major waves, proving to the naysayers that it’s here to stay. But despite its growing presence in the mainstream and its increased utilization across fields, many are still unsure what AI actually is, how it works and the true potential it harnesses. 

From the recent boom of AI-generated art, blockchain, NFTs and the metaverse to the rapid expansion of applied technology across all industries, AI and related technologies has emerged from the fringes of tech and science fiction movies to the mainstream right before our eyes. 

The vast majority of public relations (PR) professionals (94%) want to be a part of changing the future of their field, with over nine in 10 (92%) believing AI has the potential to transform the way PR is conducted, according to new research commissioned by Stagwell's (NASDAQ: STGW) PRophet, the first-ever AI-driven PR pitch platform built by and for PR professionals that predicts media interest and sentiment. 

For generations, technology has shaped and revolutionized every industry imaginable, with each new era bringing greater changes than the last. The communications field is perhaps one of the greatest examples of this trend, as we’ve seen comms tech become deeply integrated into the day-to-day workflow of communications professionals across the globe.

Throughout modern history, each era has featured a tech boom in one way or another. Whether the rise of television through the 1950s and 1960s or the introduction of the internet and cell phones through the 1990s and 2000s, breakthroughs in technology have touched every generation, benefitting both businesses and consumers in the process.

By now, we’ve learned that AI can execute many tasks just as well as humans — if not better. In the process, we’ve also learned that some tasks make more sense for AI to handle than others. Rote jobs like customer service or accounting are ideal for AI, while creative disciplines like designing or writing are a bit more complicated, though still possible to a certain degree. 

These days online discourse is revolving around emerging technologies like cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Web3. The metaverse, in particular, is one of the trendiest topics in all of tech today. 

In the two-plus years since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted how we work, learn and live, using technology in moderation has become an ideal of the past for many of us. Endless video calls, a constant stream of emails, a symphony of notifications – our tech follows us everywhere we go.

For software companies first starting out, it’s difficult to get far without a fine-tuned tech stack — a strategic combination of tech tools that work together to power your platform and inform your developers. The tools within a tech stack can include programming languages, frameworks, libraries, servers, UI/UX solutions, sales and marketing SaaS tools and many others. Each one plays a vital role in developing your software and keeping the business running smoothly.

Historically, writing has been a craft best fulfilled by humans. As personal touch and nuance are often seen as prerequisites for great writing, it can be difficult to imagine robots, or more specifically augmented intelligence (A.I.), capable of doing it convincingly, much less meaningfully.

Advanced communications technologies are growing increasingly popular in similar sectors, like marketing and advertising, but has not yet impacted the public relations industry in any substantial way. Many PR professionals see augmented intelligence (A.I.) and automation as a threat to their jobs and a hindrance to the creativity that makes their work unique and gratifying, despite its growth across other industries.