Thought Leadership: An Interview with ChatGPT

Reach a Wider Audience with Targeted Public Relations

Do you use Alexis to find out about the weather? How about ordering your Starbucks before you get to the store? Now, artificial intelligence (AI) tools are permeating PR and marketing efforts, as a way of furthering campaign efforts. It can influence content development, generate pitching concepts and provide the ability to be more efficient and effective.

But how far can these tools be stretched? We decided to take it out for a test run and ‘interview’ ChatGPT. Here’s the results.

Exclusive Insight into Industry Strategies and Trends

When were you born?

As an AI language model, I don’t have a physical birthdate like a human being. I was developed and trained by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research laboratory, and I continue to learn and improve over time as I interact with users and receive updates from my creators. My knowledge cutoff date is September 2021, which means that any information or events that have occurred after that date may not be reflected in my responses.

THO Comment: We asked this question to establish some of the limitations of AI, and that any information, content or response from AI tools like ChatGPT are constrained by the time of the last data update and come from ‘updates from my creators’. AI only knows what it has been given by human sources. Any chance that AI might have some inaccurate, incomplete or biased information? Judge for yourself.

Where do you get your information?

As an AI language model, I am trained on a large dataset of text from the internet and other sources. This dataset is used to teach me how to understand and generate human-like language.

The text in my dataset comes from a variety of sources, including:

Web pages: I am trained on a large corpus of web pages from the internet, including news articles, blogs, and other publicly available text.
Books: I have been trained on a large number of books from various genres and topics. This allows me to provide information on a wide range of subjects.
Scientific papers: I have been trained on a large number of scientific papers, allowing me to provide information on scientific topics.
Social media: I have also been trained on a large number of social media posts from various platforms, including Twitter and Reddit.

It’s important to note that while I have been trained on a vast amount of information, I may not always have the most up-to-date or accurate information available. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check information and sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.

THO Comment: Which web pages? Which books? What scientific papers? Which social media platforms and accounts? ChatGPT then admits ‘I may not always have the most up-to-date or accurate information available’. Do tell…

Will Google penalize my website for using content produced by you?

As an AI language model, I am designed to produce high-quality and unique content that is not duplicated from other sources. However, it is important to note that using content generated by an AI language model, like myself, may not be viewed positively by search engines like Google.

Search engines generally prioritize unique and valuable content, and if your website is found to have a large amount of duplicated or low-quality content, it may be penalized in search results. This is because search engines want to ensure that users are provided with the most relevant and useful content possible.

You should avoid over-relying on AI-generated content and instead supplement it with high-quality content produced by human writers.

In short, using content generated by an AI language model like myself can be beneficial for saving time and resources, but it should be used strategically and in conjunction with other high-quality content to ensure that your website remains relevant and valuable to your visitors.

THO Comment: We recommend avoiding ChatGPT generated content. To illustrate why, see the next 2 questions specifically about Public Relations. Notice the over simplified and frequently used explanations and examples offered.

What Suggestions do you have for PR professionals to differentiate themselves from competition?

As an AI language model, I can provide some general recommendations for public relations professionals to differentiate themselves from their competition:

Develop a unique value proposition: Determine what sets your PR services apart from others in the industry, and communicate this value proposition clearly to potential clients. For example, you might specialize in a particular industry or have unique expertise in a certain area of PR.
Build a strong brand: A strong and consistent brand identity can help differentiate your PR services from others. This includes developing a unique logo, website, and social media presence that effectively communicates your value proposition and expertise.

Cultivate a strong network: Networking is a critical aspect of the PR industry, and building relationships with journalists, editors, and other industry professionals can help set you apart from your competition. Attend industry events, participate in online forums, and actively seek out opportunities to connect with others in the industry.

Offer specialized services: Consider offering specialized services or packages that are tailored to the unique needs of your clients. This could include crisis management, media training, or social media management.

Focus on results: Ultimately, clients want to see results from their PR efforts. Communicate your ability to deliver measurable results, and be prepared to provide case studies or examples of successful campaigns that demonstrate your expertise and effectiveness.

These are just a few general recommendations for differentiating yourself as a PR professional. It’s important to continuously evaluate and adapt your approach to meet the changing needs of the industry and your clients.

THO Comment: ChatGPT offers a very basic outline in response, that could have been written for a high school essay on PR. How many articles have you read with similar, if not identical information? Dozens? Maybe more?

How do you measure the results of a PR campaign?

Measuring the results of a PR campaign is essential to understanding its impact and identifying areas for improvement. Here are some common metrics that can be used to measure the results of a PR campaign:

Media coverage: One of the most common metrics for measuring the results of a PR campaign is the number of media placements the campaign received. This can include print, online, and broadcast media. You can track the number of placements, the tone of the coverage (positive, negative, or neutral), and the reach of each placement (e.g., circulation, viewership, or website traffic).

Social media engagement: social media is an increasingly important part of PR campaigns, and you can measure its impact through metrics like the number of followers, likes, shares, and comments. You can also track website traffic from social media channels and the sentiment of social media conversations about your brand or campaign.

Website traffic: You can measure the impact of a PR campaign on website traffic by tracking the number of visitors, the length of time they spend on your site, and the pages they visit. You can also track conversions, such as the number of people who fill out a contact form or sign up for a newsletter.

Sales: The ultimate goal of many PR campaigns is to drive sales, so you can measure the impact of a campaign on sales by tracking the number of purchases, revenue, and customer retention.

Brand awareness: PR campaigns can also be used to increase brand awareness, and you can measure this through metrics like brand recognition, customer loyalty, and the number of brand mentions in the media and online.

By tracking these metrics, you can assess the success of your PR campaign and make data-driven decisions to improve future campaigns.

Conclusion

Clearly ChatGPT and other AI language tools have significant limitations and ‘robotic’ like responses in some instances. With that said, there are many important and very useful purposes for engaging with AI.

Solving complex math problems
Generating code in seconds that would take a developer hours, if not longer to create
Composing music
Translate foreign language
Debug code
Play games
Extract data from text
Lead generation
Email marketing
Market research

Let’s Give ChatGPT the last word

As an AI language model, my primary function is to assist with natural language processing tasks such as answering questions, providing information, and generating text. Here are some suggestions for how to use my services effectively:

Be clear and specific in your questions: The more specific your question, the more likely I am to provide you with a relevant and accurate response.

Provide context: Providing context can help me better understand the nature of your inquiry and provide a more accurate and useful response.

Break down complex questions into smaller parts: If you have a complex question, it may be helpful to break it down into smaller parts so that I can provide you with more focused and targeted responses.

Ask follow-up questions: If my response does not fully address your question, feel free to ask follow-up questions to clarify or expand upon my previous response.

Be patient: While I strive to provide accurate and timely responses, some questions may require more time to research and generate a complete response.

Overall, the key to using my services effectively is to be clear, specific, and patient in your inquiries.

The Final Last Word from THO

ChatGPT is an amazing tool. It can be used for many things including finding and creating inspiration and intel on almost anything. Can it replace the ability to analyze and create truly original content? No, of course not. But it can be a valuable tool that will make life much easier. And, who wouldn’t want that?

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Leeza Hoyt

Founder and President at The Hoyt Organization

With over 25 years of experience, Leeza’s campaigns have garnered over 150 awards from top public relations organizations nationwide. Additionally, THO serves as the Los Angeles area partner of the Public Relations Global Network, granting clients access to over 50 global markets. The agency was also named to one of the top 200 firms in the country by Forbes magazine in 2021, and she has been named by Globest.com as a Woman of Influence and a Woman to Watch, among other designations.