For decades, our agency has constructed crisis management plans for our clients and assisted them in averting and responding to a wide range of “no big deal” crises, “this could be a major problem” crises and “holy F$%#” crises. From accusations of contaminated water supplies at a global restaurant chain, to widespread attacks on the efficacy of a medicine at a major pharmaceutical manufacturer, to the downing and disappearances of aircraft at a national flag-carrier, we have often been on the other end of the phone when you-know-what hit the fan.

Nearly every response to these threats owed their success to our client’s state of preparedness. We talk about this at great length in our sessions with executive teams on crisis management (see: “If you hear the thunder, it’s too late to build the ark”). Thoughtful planning and training are essential if an organization hopes to avoid the potentially fatal consequences of a crisis. Frankly, a company can never be fully prepared to meet the persistent and unpredictable threats of our globalized digital world. But Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) may soon provide the solution for companies to level the playing field.

What is a crisis?

A crisis refers to a sudden and significant negative event that can have a major impact on an organization, disrupting the normal operations of a corporation and posing significant challenges. These events can range from natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods to accidents such as plane crashes and chemical spills. Crises also include product recalls, financial improprieties, public relations blunders, political changes, cybersecurity threats, threats to reputation, mergers and acquisitions and health crises.

Crisis management is a crucial aspect of corporate governance. Corporations must be prepared for any type of crisis as they can severely impact the company’s bottom line, reputation, and even its survival.

Impact of crises

The potential impact of crises on corporations is substantial. Financial losses are a common consequence of crises, with costs associated with repairs, recovery, and reputation management. Additionally, crises can damage a company’s reputation, leading to a loss of trust from customers and stakeholders. This loss of trust can result in decreased sales, customer attrition, and difficulties in attracting new customers. Therefore, corporations have a responsibility to prioritize crisis management to minimize these negative effects.

How can AI help PR professionals manage crises?

In order to withstand a crisis, a company must be vigilant to recognize the earliest signs of a threat and prepared to rapidly respond to any scenario. AI can help neutralize the element of surprise that often finds businesses flat-footed and results in the most damage. AI can significantly enhance crisis readiness by assisting PR professionals in various ways:

Identifying and monitoring threats
AI-powered tools can monitor social media channels for mentions of a company or brand to help PR professionals identify negative sentiment, rumors, or potential boycotts. Similarly, AI can monitor news outlets for articles about a company, allowing organizations to stay informed about potential threats, negative coverage, regulatory changes, or product recalls.

More than that, AI’s algorithms can identify patterns and trends that may indicate a potential crisis. By analyzing customer sentiment, tracking changes in sales patterns, or monitoring social media for spikes in negative sentiment, AI can provide early warning signs of a crisis. Machine learning models trained on historical data can also help identify patterns and trends associated with past crises, improving the ability to predict and mitigate future crises. AI can further assist in identifying suspicious activity on a company’s website or social media accounts and monitor for cybersecurity threats or potential hacktivist activities. AI can be our ‘canary in a coal mine’ and first line of defense when trouble finds us.

Developing crisis communication plans
AI can aid in the development of crisis communication plans tailored to specific circumstances. By tirelessly crafting and simulating an infinite range of scenarios and testing the effectiveness of various communication strategies, AI may help us prepare for all manner of potential crises. In addition, AI can keep these planned responses up-to-the-minute, incorporating new information in real time. This avoids the stagnancy of traditional write-it-and-stick it-in-the-drawer plans that have muted usefulness when real threats suddenly present themselves.

AI can be our ‘canary in a coal mine’ and first line of defense when trouble finds us.

Responding to media inquiries
AI can facilitate swift and effective responses to media inquiries during a crisis. AI-powered systems can generate alerts, notify key executives, and provide time-sensitive communications to key constituents. Additionally, AI can assist in crafting social media posts and rallying support for the company during a crisis. By tracking the effectiveness of different responses, AI may enable us to adjust their strategies in real time, enhancing crisis communication and management. Further, AI-powered chatbots can be developed to provide real-time information and answer questions during a crisis, creating on the spot guidance for employees and “hotlines” for stakeholders seeking assistance.

Tools and software for AI-powered threat identification and monitoring

AI may provide sophisticated planning and rapid automated response to crises in the future. But what about today? Several tools and software already exist that, together with human implementation, can be utilized to identify and monitor threats using AI:
• Social media monitoring tools: Brandwatch, Hootsuite, and Sprout Social are popular tools that track mentions of a company or brand on social media, helping to identify potential threats like negative sentiment, rumors, or boycotts.
• News monitoring tools: Meltwater, Cision, and Nexis are widely used news monitoring tools. These tools enable us to track articles about a company or brand in the news, allowing us to stay updated on potential threats, negative coverage, regulatory changes, or product recalls.
• Data analysis tools: Tableau, Qlik, and Power BI are powerful data analysis tools that leverage AI capabilities. These tools can analyze various data sources to identify patterns and trends indicating potential threats. By tracking customer sentiment, detecting changes in sales patterns, and monitoring social media for spikes in negative sentiment, we can proactively address emerging crises.
• Machine learning tools: TensorFlow, scikit-learn, and Spark MLlib are popular machine learning tools. PR professionals can train machine learning models on historical crisis data to identify potential threats and patterns associated with crises. These models can improve the accuracy of early warning systems and crisis prediction.

To ensure comprehensive threat identification and monitoring, we should utilize a variety of tools and websites. So far, no single tool can capture all potential threats. Employing multiple sources increases the effectiveness of the monitoring process.

It is also essential to monitor data regularly as the threat landscape and data patterns are dynamic. By regularly updating and reviewing the data, we can ensure the effectiveness of the AI-powered tools and websites used in crisis management. Crisis plans can never be static.

Advances in AI have been astounding in recent months. However, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations. AI is a powerful tool, but it is not infallible. We’re a long way from developing a ‘plug and play’ approach to crises management. We still need PR professionals who exercise critical thinking and interpret the AI-generated insights within the context of the crisis situation.

Crisis management is a vital aspect of corporate resilience, and AI offers significant potential to enhance crisis management strategies. By leveraging AI capabilities, we can efficiently identify and monitor threats through social media and news monitoring, data analysis, and machine learning models.

For the time being, AI can complement but not replace human judgment. However, by embracing AI in crisis management, organizations may strengthen their ability to navigate and mitigate the impact of crises, safeguarding their reputation and long-term success.