How do you see the role of the PR industry in the era of Generative AI?
I believe that the PR industry is at the cusp of transformational changes.
If AI and Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) tools challenged us to train ourselves (through prompts) to unlock – ironically – what humans fed into machines, the era of Web3 is going to be fundamentally disruptive.
That is because one of the key characteristics of Web3 is its focus on decentralising data, which has been the monopoly of big tech companies.
While the Web2 era was controlled by big tech companies, which monetised data through algorithms, Web3 will break the mould, and shake up the industry and current ad revenue models.
As communicators, it is our responsibility to understand the impact of Web3, upskill ourselves, tap it to boost creativity and efficiency, and help our clients manoeuvre the changes.
I see the Middle East playing an instrumental role in driving this transformation.
Can you explain how the Middle East will have a role to play in transforming the communications industry in the Web3 era?
Web3 is a big opportunity for the region’s PR industry to redraw its approaches and innovate new models of communications.
Why do I say this? One, we are a young region with over 200 million digital-savvy people below the age of 30. Our Gen Z (and the up coming Gen Alpha) are pragmatic, organised and highly effective in communications.
Two, the Middle East has the strategic geographic advantage of connecting the Global South (which also has some of the early adopters in Web3) with the rest of the world.
Third is the growing economic clout of the region, led by the leading economic capitals such as Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Doha, all of which are also betting high on Web3 technologies, in addition to Dubai, which is in the league of a handful of global players such as Singapore.
PR stands at the heart of this triangle – the emerging technologies, the generational power of Gen Z, and the historic and cultural context that defines the Middle East – inspiring and challenging us to create a new operational model with global impact and influence.
Specific to your industry, can you explain some of your innovations that have helped your clients navigate today’s new era of communications?
One was scaling up our B2B Influence offering, which broke the myth that influencer marketing is a B2C tool. We studied how carefully selected Influencer partnerships now play an integral role in how businesses consume, verify and act on information.
We also introduced Influence Shield – a global risk management service that aims to increase brand safety in influencer marketing. Both of these innovations have been well-received by our clients, who appreciate the value that we bring to this niche sector.
By Ashraf Shakah, MENA President – Public Relations at Memac Ogilvy
