Whitepaper: ‘Integrating AI processes into Digital PR’ — How Distinctly took a phased approach to adopting AI

While AI has changed the game for a lot of workplaces, a recent Business Insights survey from the ONS revealed the majority (51.6%) of UK Information and Communication companies are slow adopters and don’t “currently use artificial intelligence technologies”. These figures are even lower for other industries.

As an agency working alongside marketing teams in many different industries, we took it upon ourselves to integrate AI learning, process, and expertise into our team to be trusted advisors. The Distinctly digital PR team spent 6 months going through a journey of managed AI adoption. This took us from relative zero to team-led AI innovation in a little over 6 months. 

What were the first steps?

With workplace applications of AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) becoming more widespread, it was clear that in order to encourage responsible use of AI and maintain a quality output we would need to provide a framework and undertake shared learning across the Digital PR team.

Going through an AI adoption process led us to develop an AI taskforce to guide and plan the direction of development, create the team and company-wide structure needed for the initiative to grow (such as a company-wide AI policy), and ultimately develop new ways of working with the support of AI.

We recently launched our whitepaper – titled ‘Integrating AI processes into Digital PR’ – detailing our process and learnings from these initial 6 months, along with insights into our view of the evolving relationship between digital PR and AI.

Where can you find the whitepaper?

Whitepaper: Integrating AI processes into Digital PR

Insights into the steps and discussion points included in the whitepaper:

• Starting point
• Phase 1 – Setting standards, upskilling & laying the foundations
• Phase 2 – Training, engagement & exploration
• Phase 3 – What are the next steps?
• What are our key learnings? 
• What will digital PR activity look like in the age of AI?
• Further reading 

We take responsibility as a digital marketing agency to act as a source of expertise for our partner marketing teams. AI innovation has been a key part of this over the last two years. It’s important we are able to advise on AI and show we’re active and understand the changes. We’ve worked with the wider Distinctly Organic team to understand how AI could change the wider organic search landscape.

Key reflections and learnings to this point:

• Methodically adopting AI uses away from the hype has helped to organically improve our service
• Foundations and rule book for its use is crucial for responsible experimentation
• Testing how AI and ChatGPT fit into our existing processes with workshops and experimentation meant evolution, not revolution
• Shared learning supports balanced development across team members
• Knowing it’s common pitfalls and output styles through increased team familiarity has helped to identify misapplications in the industry and put us in a strong position to ensure our own output is of high quality
• The process has encouraged everyday AI innovation in the team (teaching them how to fish!)

The next steps for the process is to continue the development of team members and share AI innovation to further improve our work output. We will explore different use cases for AI across everyday tasks and processes, as well as experiment with how AI could alter service offerings in the digital PR and wider organic industry.