Summary of the Key Points
This article discusses new trends in the field of corporate public relations: large companies are planning to establish AI-based public relations platforms, but the capabilities of AI rely entirely on “hidden intelligence” collected by humans—such as unpublicized interpersonal relationships and industry insider knowledge. Currently, humans have an advantage over AI because they possess this type of information that AI cannot access. In the future, those who are skilled in gossiping and gathering such information will become a core competitive asset. The article also covers the types of intelligence, methods of collection, their practical value, and the potential competition between humans and AI. It concludes by advising readers not to worry too much and to enjoy life while they can.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why Can’t AI-based Public Relations Function Without Humans? — Hidden Intelligence Is Crucial
Large companies want to use AI for public relations, believing that it will be better at predicting and analyzing public opinion than humans. However, AI has a significant drawback: it can only extract information from public online sources and cannot access the private, internal details hidden in people’s minds (for example, knowing that a journalist’s husband is an investor of a competitor). Therefore, humans are needed to gather this “hidden intelligence” for AI to process. The more and more detailed this information is, the stronger AI’s public relations capabilities will be. In essence, AI is like a supercomputer, but it needs human-provided “exclusive insights” to function effectively.
2. What Types of Intelligence Does AI Need? — Both Interpersonal Relationships and Methodologies Are Essential
There are two types of valuable information:
- Hidden Interpersonal Relationships: For example, identifying who is actually in conflict despite appearing to be colleagues or knowing which influencers are family members of company executives. These relationships help AI predict public opinion more accurately (for instance, preventing negative coverage by being aware of potential conflicts).
- Latest Public Relations Methodologies: For example, the strategy used to criticize Xiaomi was to target its founder, Lei Jun, as a key figure in the company. Teaching these methods to AI allows it to quickly apply them to other entrepreneurs (by identifying their weaknesses in speeches). These methodologies can make AI much more efficient in public relations tasks than humans.
3. How to Gather This Intelligence? — Gossipers Will Be In High Demand
In the past, gossiping was seen as negative, but now it’s crucial for gathering hidden information. People skilled in gossiping possess natural abilities:
- They can make others comfortable enough to share their secrets (by sharing personal stories about arguments).
- They keep promises and build trust by not disclosing sensitive information.
- They are good listeners, encouraging open communication from others.
These individuals will become key players in intelligence collection as they have access to information that AI cannot obtain.
4. What’s the Use of This Intelligence? — It Can Be Used Both Offensively and Defensively
The value of intelligence lies in both defensive and offensive applications:
- Defense: Quickly identifying the source of negative rumors. For example, before a company goes public, using intelligence to analyze the network of accounts involved in spreading negative content can help identify the culprits.
- Offense: Creating a convincing narrative (even if false) that people will believe. AI can provide detailed information and psychological theories to support a fabricated story, making it more persuasive than human efforts.
5. What Will Happen to Humans and AI in the Future? — Don’t Worry Too Much, Just Enjoy Life
The author believes that while AI may outperform humans in processing data, humans still have an advantage with hidden information. However, if future society is dominated by AI or machines, this information will become less valuable. With rapid technological advancements, changes could occur in just one day what used to take a hundred years. Therefore, the author advises not to worry too much about trivial matters (like salary or minor conflicts) and to focus on enjoying life. The article also suggests that companies like Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent might be among the first to develop such AI systems, which could potentially be used to monitor their own activities.
Overall, this article examines the specific changes in the industry while reflecting on the future of humans and AI. The core message is that to avoid being replaced by AI, humans need to do what AI cannot—collect hidden information and use gossip as a tool for gathering intelligence. It also promotes a “live-in-the-present” attitude, as the future is uncertain.