Much of the earned media coverage in technology is increasingly focused on AI-oriented platforms. The narratives range from speculation about AI’s impact in the future and its potential negative impacts toward humanity to its more practical capabilities to bring greater levels of efficiency to key processes.
The reality is that marketers are focused on their specific verticals, and how their application of AI, often within much broader platforms, solves pain-points for their target audiences. AI has been on the scene for years with increasing intensity. However, with this recent surge, it’s now prime time to cast light on its capabilities as we enter, what I anticipate to be, a long macro news cycle about its capabilities and impact.
How can marketing executives make the most of this boost of interest in AI for PR? Here are my top recommendations.
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Update your product messaging
For large, multifaceted technology platforms with more established presences in a market, AI as a component can be buried in the product message a few layers down. Some technology companies have intentionally been more reserved about leading with their AI messages because their product team has been in long cycles of development. I would encourage marketing executives to revisit those conversations with their product team and circle back on the messaging with the PR team. Marketers do not need to ditch other product messaging, but now is a great time to add some emphasis and unbury the AI capabilities.
Next, the PR team should create concepts supporting the AI-specific narratives, while also carrying the thread of the differentiation of the product to its market in the thought leadership outreach.
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Quantify the impact of AI
As we’ve highlighted before, now is the time to create data-driven thought leadership in the form of press releases and thought leadership. Doing so will create game-changing outcomes in earned media. For this to come to fruition, marketing teams need to be looking at the outcomes of their analytics to create data-driven proof concepts.
The goal is to have data findings that substantiate the value of the platform, but also have news value to the market. This can be done in any vertical.
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Talk about the transformation
The PR effort should include commentary that talks about the transformation and what direction the AI is moving toward. Whether the AI is predicting outcomes, processing data that enables vast efficiencies in a sector, or solves problems manual human inputs could never achieve, look for angles that demonstrate the ROI.
At this moment, markets are looking in wonder with what can be achieved via AI – the possibilities, for now, seem endless. From a PR perspective, concepts need to balance the value of the technology with data-driven proof points, as well as incorporate visionary commentary components.
If executed well, tech companies can drive valuation and category ownership with how they encapsulate their AI capabilities in their narratives. Our recommendation is to get all hands on deck for a proactive and compelling PR program designed to rapidly raise the profile of your AI solution.
