Gartner’s hype cycle of a product or service begins when it’s new, shiny, and all the rage. The market buzz increases, and people can’t stop talking about it. Quickly, it hits the peak of inflated expectations. As the interest and usage increase, so do the limitations and potential drawbacks of the offering.
Whether it’s defects, usability, or security issues, the twinkling eye of the user starts to dim as realisation creeps in that the product isn’t all it might at first have appeared to be. The product / service is now heading towards the trough of disillusionment. The long hard slog to the plateau of productivity begins via the gradual slope of enlightenment.
The success of a launch or innovation will be a slower slope of incremental gains. Peaks and troughs should be expected. The challenge for organisations sits at the height of consumer’s inflated expectations. When everyone thinks the product or service will solve world issues and transform life as they know it - this is the make-or-break point for the product and, in some cases, the organisation.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI) is experiencing these hype phases right now. As we pass one year since the launch of Open AI’s Chat GPT, which roared to 100 million users in just two months, the winds of caution are unmistakable. So, what happens next? Let’s take a trip down memory lane of the year Generative AI has had so far and how the PR industry can separate itself from the noise moving forward.
First phase: Innovation
Generative AI has created unimaginable opportunities for innovation over the past 12 months. People can train large language models at scale, engage with conversational agents and discover a new wave of productivity and digital creativity, triggering a tsunami of innovation.
All eyes have turned on Generative AI and its potential. Once introduced to the public, organisations have scrambled to get the first bite of the cherry. This first stage of development, with its breakthrough functionalities, is style over substance in some cases. Just because the innovation trigger is pulled, it doesn’t mean everything and anything needs to be powered by AI.
To differentiate, rather than dumb down when it comes to Generative AI strategies over the next 12 months, the industry should follow a central principle: AI should enhance, not replace the work of communicators. Fact-checking, emotional input and context are invaluable in setting the industry apart from others and critical to maintaining credibility. It’s about amplifying the voices of people and organisations, not replacing them.
Second phase: Expectations peak
Good ideas are hard to bring to life. After the innovation phase, consumer and business expectations skyrocket. With AI, the possibilities for PRs to level up their work seem endless. Large language models can help us recognise, summarise, translate, predict, and generate content. However, these models are only as useful as the data in them. Applications need to learn because, without it, insights are at risk.
Insights need critique. Assumption breeds uncertainty. With 79% of UK consumers expressing significant concern about fake news, the danger of inaccurate AI-generated information misleading people needs addressing. It’s all good discussing the 'would and shoulds', but PRs must always circle back to the how. How can the industry not fall victim to ‘plagiarism soup’ of average content and the risk of creating entirely fictional information? Constantly asking this question, fact-checking, and conducting in-depth data analysis at every stage of the decision-making process will help organisations stay close to the bigger picture.
Third phase: Cracks start to show
The hype cycle can move incredibly fast. As products get more sophisticated, so does the shadow of doubt. Weakened logic and ignorant responses have been some of the issues that have emerged from AI’s performance. The same applies to concerns over privacy and licensing. Reality has started to set in, and expectations, in some cases, have been unmet. Just because Generative AI might be experiencing growing pains - doesn’t mean organisations should ignore it.
As the hype cools down, this is the stage where organisations settle on the practical use of the innovation and make real progress. For AI, this is the phase where the technology currently resides. Regulation is being considered, and products are refined. Trial and error and further innovation are producing more tangible and practical applications.
At this stage, organisations thoughtfully evaluating what areas will truly benefit from Generative AI will maximise its potential. To what extent will AI inform content creation or creative direction? Considering the limitations around bias, factual accuracy and coherence will help navigate inconsistencies. Determining best practices and policies for employers and employees will lay a strong foundation for ease of use, transparency and security.
Don’t rest on your laurels
The velocity of Generative AI’s hype cycle cannot be understated. Over the past 12 months, the world has watched AI take mainstream technology by storm, leaving almost no industry untouched.
As reality kicks in, Generative AI will continue its long march towards the slope of enlightenment over the next year. A brave new future where AI in everyday work and life will become normality. Here lies the opportunity for PRs to take advantage of being free from repetitive, trivial tasks and lean in to add value to stakeholders. AI won’t go away. Issues will be resolved, and now is the chance to get ahead in a new era of communication.
