This January, our team attended the PRSA Georgia luncheon where we heard from a panel of MarCom and PR executives spanning industries such as healthcare, retail, nonprofits and technology. This month’s focus? Data safety and effective technological integrations.
Before the introduction of modern data privacy laws, there were multiple instances of individuals who would show up at the door of those who have major influence at a business or charitable foundation, and demand a response, institutional change or even a grant to be disbursed. Addresses were pulled from websites and private data accessed improperly. Now, with better encryption technology, we’re able to protect most of our personal information without worrying about people showing up outside our door.
However, this begs the question of how the rules have changed for developers, public relations and marketing professionals, executives and everyone else that relies on digital media for business. The technology panelist made the point that AI bias and machine learning are part of the solution – and problem.
When it comes to AI, there’s a lot of debate. While advancing technologies can provide benefits and make life simple, there is an equal amount of potential problems consumers face. Passive data collection from GPS and smart speakers, email personalization and chatbots in social media are all examples of AI we use in day-to-day functions; it’s no longer a futuristic technology that only scientists create. There are two approaches to using this technology for profit: Apple is monetizing products while Google and Amazon are monetizing the consumer. What this means is that Apple is selling products that provide individuals with the new technology and the support services to go along with it. Google and Amazon, however, are encouraging you to buy products then turning around and selling your buying habits and online behavior to businesses.
It’s not all bad.
During the luncheon, one of the panelists reminded us of this analogy. We have been using technology since humans first discovered the stick. By using the stick, we were able to knock down fruit that would have been otherwise hard to reach and make us go hungry. Technology has always made life easier.
In the healthcare industry, the panelist educated us on how transmitting medical records is becoming easier with AI because a patient is able to visit multiple hospitals and doctors’ offices without having to wait for their physical file to be sent over.
In the retail industry, journalists might have a tendency to create headlines that grab attention instead of reporting the whole of an issue. With future AI, videos and news clips will be able to be scanned for authenticity and given a score of validation. This will cut down on the amount of fake news and “deep fakes,” as the panelist called them.
These new developments are joined by evolving rules and standards. It’s our job as communicators to educate consumers and to remind them that anything that might initially look like a threat, might actually be new advancing technologies that will benefit them in the long run. Unless, of course, it’s someone at your door asking why you didn’t approve their grant.
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