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World PR Day: APRA Advocates Ethical, Responsible Use of AI
African Public Relations Association (APRA) has called on its members to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and associated technologies for insights towards transformation of lives, the PR industry and contemporary life, with a caveat for ethical and responsible use of AI.
This advice came in a message sent to members of the continental body by its president, Mr. Arik Karani. The message which came in commemoration of the 2024 World Public Relations Day (World PR Day) and resonates with the theme of this year’s celebration, “The Future of Public Relations in a Changing World”, noted that the unfolding reality of contemporary world signaled ‘unprecedented change and opportunity’.
The president stated that communication, analyses and strategies in PR such as “sentiment analysis, predictive analytics, automated content creation” are spheres where AI enhances the human agency and capabilities of the public relations practitioners and bolsters capacity for improvement in crisis communication, brand and stakeholder relationship management and otherwise complex issues.
In sounding a note of caution in AI utilisation, Mr. Karani urged PR practitioners in Africa to ensure that “the principles of transparency, accountability and inclusivity should guide our use of AI in public relations”, because PR practitioners have a duty to promote truth, bridge gaps and cultivate trust.
He reminded all members of APRA that those precepts are in congruence with the vision of APRA and promised the organisation’s dedication to advancing PR practice to foster promotional development, promote ethical standards to enhance the contribution of APRA to society through sustainable development of all sectors to drive social impact.
Karani, who is also the President of the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK), appealed to APRA members to be open-minded to explore the endless opportunities of AI as a force for good in public relations so the profession can continue to play its central role in building understanding, enable dialogue and “creating a more connected and compassionate world”.
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in collaboration with Musical CopyrightSociety of Nigeria (MCSN) organised a stakeholders’ engagement and awareness event in Kaduna on November 20, 2024.
The event, themed “Enjoy Music, Respect Copyright, Protect your Business,” according to the State Coordinator, NCC Kaduna office Mrs Rukayya Yeldu was aimed at educating music users about copyright laws and the importance of paying royalties to support musicians in the creative industry.
Mrs. Yeldu in her address at the event noted that copyright laws help protect the livelihood of musicians and other stakeholders while emphasising that paying royalties is both a legal and moral duty for business operators in the creative sector.
Director-General, MCSN Mr. Mayowa Ayilaran in his presentation spoke about MCSN’s role in the creative sector and encouraged business owners to obtain proper licences for the music they use.
Public trust in government has been lagging for years but new Salesforce research reveals AI agents could help rebuild it.
Constituents around the world agree there’s room for improvement when it comes to government service. Forty percent struggle with government interactions, and over a third are unsure of available programs. However, the research indicates overwhelming public support for AI solutions — with 90% of global constituents saying they’d use an AI agent to engage with their government.
The arrival of AI agents presents governments with an exciting opportunity to strengthen public trust by streamlining services and speeding up response times. And in the face of tightening budgets, agents can augment public servants and better serve their constituents — without having to add headcount.
“It is clear from our research that there is a need for AI solutions like Salesforce’s Agentforce that help governments streamline and scale services to better meet the needs of their constituents,” said Nasi Jazayeri, EVP and GM of Public Sector at Salesforce.
“As global leaders gather in Davos, we have a tremendous opportunity for the public and private sectors to come together and explore how major advancements in technology like AI agents can improve how governments support citizens.”
Public calls for improved government service
40% say it’s difficult to interact with the government when they have questions or need help.
Less than half of survey respondents find it easy to understand what public services (42%) and public assistance programs (46%) are available to them.
Top service delivery improvements desired by global constituents include:
Reducing the number of steps to address needs
Responding to their needs faster
Constituents eager to engage with agents
90% of global respondents said they’d use an AI agent to interact with the public sector.
Constituents in Brazil, Spain, Singapore, and Italy are among the most willing to use AI agents to interact with the public sector, providing these countries with the opportunity to be trailblazers in the agentic AI era.
20% of German and American respondents say they’re very likely to use an AI agent to help fill out government forms (e.g. filing taxes, completing applications).
Three factors global respondents said they prioritised when considering using AI agents in the public sector:
24/7 access to information and services (47%)
Helping them efficiently access government resources (44%)
Reducing the number of websites and steps needed to address their needs (40%)
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has expressed its commitment to partner with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) for the creation of a robust Intellectual Property (IP) Policy tailored for Polytechnics and Technical Institutions across Nigeria.
This collaboration was agreed upon during a courtesy visit by the Director-General, NCC, Dr. John O. Asein to the Executive Secretary NBTE, Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, in Abuja. The visit aimed to enlighten NBTE on the mandate of Commission and areas of possible collaboration.
Dr. Asein, represented at the meeting by Director Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA), Mrs. Funmi Adewale and Director Planning Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Collins Nweke, emphasised the importance of a functional IP Policy and the need to incorporate Copyright Education into the curriculum of Technical Institutions.
The ES-NBTE who was represented by the Director, Abuja Liaison Office, Dr. Yahaya Bande gave assurances that the proposed partnership will yield results and lauded NCC’s initiatives of raising public awareness about IP and Copyright, emphasising that such efforts are crucial for enhancing the nation’s economic development.
The Commission’s representatives presented copies of the Commission’s publication “What Is Copyright” and “Copyright Act 2022” to the Executive Secretary, NBTE.
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