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Artificial intelligence (AI) is abuzz in nearly every industry, even if individual businesses have yet to realize its power. Demystifying AI with dedicated public relations (PR) allows you to control the narrative around your AI technology. The best AI PR strategies can distinguish your technology from misconceptions and make it stand out from other products.
In this three-part guide, I'll break down how PR for AI companies can improve business-to-business (B2B) marketing, public perceptions, and more.
The Importance of Transparent AI Technology Communication
Many professionals have begun to realize the true potential that AI can bring to their organizations. However, some people think of different components and uses when they hear the words "artificial intelligence." For example, some people may be so distracted by ChatGPT and AI images that they overlook how generative AI and other powerful tools can help their business.
Of course, artificial intelligence is still a relatively new technology. Other AI apps and tools may not work as advertised or as customers expect. This can make the competitive AI tech market even more challenging to maneuver, as you must also establish trust with your audience.
AI PR lets you take control of your narrative and differentiate your AI technology from the rest. By doing so, you can keep your audience from getting caught up in stigmas, misinformation, or concerns. Most importantly, you can comprehensively highlight your technology's greatest benefits and uses.
Establishing Partnerships With Research Institutions and Industry Leaders
Like any business decision, choosing which AI to work with is an important consideration that can impact many areas.
Even though there are many solid AI options available, some customers have been "burned" by previous tools they've tried. Professionals and businesses, in particular, will naturally be selective of the AI technology they work with. This is because any mistakes made by the AI will inevitably reflect on their brands and performances.
Establishing partnerships with industry leaders, research institutions, and other reputable sources can drastically improve your online marketing strategies. Almost any AI company can say that its technology can help you, but that doesn't mean anything if there’s no proof — even the company's statement could be AI-generated. On the other hand, hard data and statistics are much easier to trust and follow.
Research Institutions
A research institution can help you develop tangible data for how your AI technology works. For instance, if your AI tool speeds up work processes, they may track how productivity changes after organizations introduce your technology. You can then showcase these specific numbers across your AI public relations plan with:
- Statistics
- Charts
- Case studies and reports
- Testimonials
- And more
Data from research institutions is typically more reliable than customer testimonials and other sources. Institutions will maximize how and when your AI technology is used to test as many functions and uses as possible. They'll search for potential vulnerabilities and uses you may not have even considered. You can use this hard, irrefutable evidence to highlight that your AI technology works — and works well.
Plus, you may find ways to improve your technology and emphasize to your audience how you are making strides toward these changes — an all-around win.
Partnerships and Synergy
For many businesses, partnerships have become the key to surviving today's competitive markets — especially if you're just starting. Partnering with another tech company or professional can expand your resources, customer base, network, financial capabilities, and more.
Business partnerships can comprise different goals, company sizes, and timelines. For instance, two businesses may practically merge and begin sharing staff, expenses, and AI coding. Meanwhile, an individual may partner with a larger tech company for a short period of time to help with one project. Or, two startups may join forces to collaborate for a short time, helping boost their presence to each respective audience.
This variety gives you plenty of options for help when doing PR for AI companies.
Before partnering with another business, consider what you hope to gain. Partnerships can improve your:
- Public relations
- Internal business processes
- A combination of both
If you're looking to fill holes within your organization, search for AI companies with similar goals and technology. Alternatively, if you only need to boost your B2B marketing, search for tech companies with similar products but different solutions. For instance, if you offer an AI scheduling tool, you could partner with an AI company that covers payroll.
Partnering with industry leaders is a sure way to get your AI PR initiatives noticed. AI leaders can include larger organizations, such as OpenAI or IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), or individual professionals with prominent voices. Though industry leaders may be more challenging to partner with, they are still worth reaching out to — especially with high-quality AI technology.
Showcasing AI Solutions at Conferences and Events
Virtual conferences, webinars, live podcasts, and other events are perfect opportunities to generate positive media attention and implement your AI PR. Many B2B companies spend months planning their presentations to generate the biggest impression.
Virtual platforms let you showcase your cutting-edge solutions by combining various formats and strategies, including:
- Video demonstrations
- Speeches and lectures
- Testimonials
- Presentable data
- Questions and answers (Q&A) sessions
- And more
Even if you can't physically demonstrate how to use your AI technology, there's still a lot you can do to showcase it. For example, let's say you're livestreaming to promote an AI hiring tool on LinkedIn. To start, you develop a looping video that shows your tool's interface and add graphics and transitions to grab people's attention. This can play as more viewers trickle in. Then, you display research data to show its efficiency and offer a live Q&A session to answer questions and share highlights.
Live streaming on social media can vastly expand your audience and attract customers, partners, investors, and media outlets worldwide. Recording your events so you can show them to a later audience is another great way to expand your reach. However, to have the most significant impact, you must first master social media and online advertising — which we'll discuss more in Part 3.
Prepare Your AI PR For the Future
With AI tools at an all-time high in popularity, companies will likely face competition. Clear and transparent AI PR can help you stand out in a currently saturated market by highlighting your brand's positives and what sets you apart.
Continue reading Part 2 in this blog series to discover the best content marketing strategies for demystifying AI.
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