Work

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

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Public relations professionals' use of generative AI (GAI) tripled during 2023. Despite this, there is a lack of in-field studies addressing GAI adoption and implementation in public relations. In this paper, we address this gap by exploring how a communication department in a large Danish municipality approached the adoption and implementation of AI. 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 of AI. Through our analysis of this learning process, we contribute to the emerging literature on AI and AI implementation in public relations in two significant ways. First, we introduce the concept and practice of Slow Implementation to foreground the importance of dedicating time to the (pre)implementation phase. Second, we suggest that the components that compose AI implementation (e.g., resource allocation, support, and training) should be approached as a configuration of components, letting contextual specificities shape the specific composition.

Source: Public Relations Review

DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2025.102557

Authors: Emma Christensen, Rickard Andersson

Institution: Roskilde University

Language: English

Topic: Public Relations and Crisis Communication

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,310

Funder: Velux Fonden