To hasten slowly: The prudence of slow AI implementation in public relations

Abstract

Public relations professionals’ use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tripled during 2023. Despite this surge, there is a notable lack of in-field studies examining GenAI and other CommTech implementation in public relations. To address this research gap, we adopt the view of the digital transformation of public relations as a socio-technical change process and explore how a communication department in a large Danish municipality approached the implementation of AI, drawing upon the socio-technical system view of technology implementation (STS) as our analytic lens. Instead of hasty implementation, the department spent one year on a learning process, providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to secure a sound and sustainable implementation. We contribute to the emerging literature on CommTech, AI, and AI implementation in public relations by highlighting the importance of thoroughly exploring and evaluating GenAI prior to implementation and actively involving co-workers in organizing and executing such projects. To encapsulate our findings, we introduce the concept and practice of Slow Implementation, emphasizing the importance of dedicating time to the implementation phase.