EDMO Coordinator, Dr Eileen Culloty, was invited to speak at the 2024 Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII) National Conference. The conference brought together more than 200 “communications professionals to hear from 20 national and global speakers and thought leaders, to discuss developing trends and learn from case studies and the latest research.”
In her talk, Dr Culloty addressed the unclear boundaries between the PR industry and the so-called influence industry. Citing the recent publication of the Routledge Handbook of the Influence Industry (edited By Emma L. Briant and Vian Bakir), she noted that researchers, policymakers and journalists are slowly shifting away from talking about disinformation towards ‘strategic narratives’, ‘influence campaigns’, and manipulation more generally.
The final chapter of the Routledge book asks if an ethical influence industry is possible. It suggests the need to adopt principles of transparency and integrity. At the same time, there are ethical challenges surrounding AI and digital manipulation techniques.
The question then is how do we distinguish ourselves as communication professionals? What can we do that AI can’t do? And in a world of AI slop, how do we distinguish ourselves as people or organisations that are trustworthy? This, I think, is the defining issue for the next decade.
