ChatGPT at two: From baby bot to tearaway toddler transforming the world of PR, marketing and comms

In November 2022, ChatGPT was released from the sterile confines of its computer lab into a quizzical and somewhat unsuspecting world. In truth, no one really knew what to expect from this “large language model that showcased significant advancements in conversational AI” – whatever that meant. 

Two years on and this awkwardly named bot is used by nearly 200 million people each week. And it’s completely re-imagined the way we create content. 

During that time the narrative has changed significantly from something that posed a threat to jobs to the realisation that this is just another tool to make us all more efficient and productive. 

Of course, that’s easy to say now. But in those early weeks and months, not everyone was convinced. 

“I wasn’t a fan, to put it mildly,” explained Joanna Milton, Corporate Communication & PR Manager at full-service audio visual and unified communications integrator Kinly. “Writing is an intensely personal skill to me and I value authenticity. So handing over responsibility for it to a bot didn’t sit well.”

“But then I began using AI for creating metadata for blog posts — or to gather information on a topic — and it saved so much time. In the end, I stopped seeing it as the enemy to marketing professionals everywhere and began to use it more frequently,” she said. 

Opinions have changed over time 

While Joanna’s Gen AI journey is typical of many, it is by no means unique. 

“I was in the late majority for understanding ChatGPT, but an early adopter in utilising it,” explained Charlie de la Haye, PR and Social Media Manager at global tech brand Epson. 

“I saw it as another component bridging that gap towards gradual human obsolescence. And while this hasn’t really changed — we’re always evolving technologically — I see it now as more of a tool for innovation that I can really take advantage of,” he said. 

And that’s key. For while people have been on their own journey of discovery over the last two years, just about everyone I’ve spoken to has arrived at a similar conclusion: that far from being a threat to jobs within PR, marketing and communications, ChatGPT is a tool that allows us to do more, faster. 

Whether it allows us to be better at our jobs is down to each of us as individuals. But the potential is certainly there.  

“I think ChatGPT, GenAI and AI are fascinating — and I mean, fascinating,” said Giles Tongue,  VP of Marketing at super bundling platform Bango. 

“As a marketer and a curious human being, the daily reveal of new use cases and quality increments is astonishing. The promise appears to be that no matter who we are — or what level of expertise we have — we can all benefit from AI-based tools to solve day-to-day problems. 

“I think we’re at the point where our imagination is our only limitation. For those determined enough — and curious enough — the opportunities are endless,” he said. 

Boundless opportunities need to be balanced with caution

While it may be tempting to embrace this new technology, some urge restraint — not least regarding the business-sensitive information people share with it. And as many people are finding out, any output is only as good as the prompts you use. 

“Like most people, the more I’ve learned — and the more adept I’ve become at prompting — the better the results,” said Samuel Hall, Senior Director of International Communications at connected operations powerhouse Samsara. “One of the most useful things I’ve learned is to optimise prompts — and the RISEN framework is a great starting point,” he said. 

If you can get it right — if you can get Gen AI working for you — the results can be impressive.

“I needed a headline in a hurry and turned to AI,” said Joanna. “It took four prompts to get there but I was very happy with the end result. I don’t blame people for using it — not everyone has spent 20+ years writing copy – but a human sense check is critical.”

And that’s an important point and one that is often overlooked. As we get more used to using it, we are becoming better judges of its strengths and weaknesses. Why shouldn’t it be used to come up with some creative themes for intros — or help sub a turgid Q&A into a punchy blog?

The writes and wrongs of GenAI

The problem, though, as Sam points out, is that not everyone sees it that way. 

“My pet hate is when people think it’s a replacement for effort and strong authentic comms. Most people can spot an AI-generated, cut-and-paste job a mile off. It sticks out like a sore thumb. 

“As comms professionals, we know the amount of thought and effort that goes into creating effective messaging and an ‘authentic voice’. When you’ve crafted something like that, you must be careful not to undo all that great work simply by using lazy generative copy-and-paste,” he said. 

Indeed, Charlie is also concerned about the impact of GenAI on the next generation and among those who may not have a foundation in ‘old school’ skills. 

“If new generations aren’t held accountable for learning about pre-AI processes, structure, ideology, and general hard work, then they may find themselves over-relying on AI in a potentially dangerous way,” he said.

What’s clear, is that while there is plenty of common ground in terms of usefulness, formulating a set of rules that maximises its impact without any damaging side-effects is still a work in progress. And that’s particularly true of how this technology will influence businesses.

What do the next two years have in store?

Marking two years since the launch of ChatGPT may seem odd. But it’s made such a profound impact on our industry that it would be remiss to let it pass without a mention. 

For creative and comms professionals, the arrival of ChatGPT has been the biggest advance in efficiency and productivity since…well, the arrival of word processing, desktop publishing or computer-aided design. And they were decades ago. 

But what of the future? Have we lived through — and survived — this first wave of AI or is this just the start? Is it an easy ride from now on or are there things we need to look out for? 

“My main concern is that the more we rely on AI, the less competent people will eventually become in cultivating their own creativity, engineering processes, writing stories, and even dealing with people,” said Charlie. 

Which means as an industry — as leaders in our professions with a responsibility to the next generation — we need to ensure that the foundational skills of industry are not lost. What’s more, we must also ensure that areas such as ‘authenticity’ and ‘trust’ are not lost in the race to use GenAI. 

“I fear our capacity to trust will be destroyed. Keeping our BS scanners permanently switched on will be draining and soul-destroying in the long term,” said Joanna. “How do we teach our children to never trust what they see, hear or read when everything could be fake?”

It’s a sobering point and one that will take some time to resolve. 

Sam, on the other hand, takes a much more pragmatic view. “My view is straightforward. ChatGPT and GenAI tools absolutely have a place in the kit bag of the successful communications professional. Yes, it will make you more efficient and allow you to scale. But this should never be done at the cost of authenticity. Forget the hype — that’s where our focus should be.  

Giles, though, is in no doubt about the direction of travel. “The way I see things, text-to-anything is where we’re heading. So, if you can conceive it in your mind — and convey it in text — then GenAI can create it,” he said.

The impact of ChatGPT on communication and content creation is undeniable. What started as an uncertain experiment has evolved into a must-have tool for millions. Although we’re through the initial wave of adoption, we’re still learning how to use it. How best to adopt — and adapt to — the technology is based on our own experiences, strengths, and weaknesses. 

I’m heartened by both the optimism of my peers and their caution. For me, this shows that we are able to maintain a balanced and thoughtful approach that will continue to pay dividends.

Ultimately, it’s how we use this technology that matters. The insight, guidance, control — and the final word — must always go to the people using the tech, not the tech itself.