Provoke Latam 2025: Reputation In The New Era Of (Purposeful) AI

(MENAFN- PRovoke) At the PRovoke LatAm Summit in São Paulo, RepTrak's Stephen Hahn joined Sheila Magri of Abracom for a wide-ranging conversation about how marketing, communications, and PR leaders should be thinking about generative AI. What follows is an edited overview of their discussion.

How should companies be thinking about generative AI?

For integrated marketers and communications professionals, AI represents the biggest source of disruption since the dawn of the digital age. As such, companies need to approach generative AI with both a sense of excitement and caution.

What are the opportunities for generative AI? C

ompanies should not jump into generative AI for the sake of AI - they need to take an approach that's based on Purposeful AI and underscored by a deeper understanding of how to leverage AI to unleash the power of reputation intelligence.

What are the challenges of generative AI?

Generative AI can propagate misinformation, deepfakes, and hallucinations, and make it harder to define the“truth.” Bad news can travel especially fast - even though it may not be based on any semblance of truth - and can result in heightened reputational risk.

How does generative AI impact reputation?

AI-powered search and content output act as amplifiers or inhibitors of reputation, depending on the quality of the signals that inform them. Given the impact of AI, critical-time and longitudinal reputational measurement are more important than ever.

How can generative AI be purposeful?

Generative AI can be harnessed to purposefully amplify reputation intelligence. But AI-powered insight is predicated on the foundation of truth it's built upon - and when it's based on more than 20 years of historical data, that translates into significant competitive advantage.

How can the truth be captured?

Capturing the real truth - not just the partial truth, but the whole truth - resides at the intersection of artificial intelligence, stakeholder perceptions, and human intelligence. AI is a signal, reputation is the consequence, and expert human advice provides situational context on what actions to take.

How should reputation be measured accordingly?

An understanding of AI-generated insight by itself is insufficient. The addition of longitudinal reputation tracking across multiple stakeholders - including investors, employees, regulators, customers, and communities - drives the most effective understanding of how to best turn reputation intelligence into an asset.

What about synthetic data?

Synthetic data can be quickly generated, but it is no substitute for a continuous source of truth. Like a magic eight-ball, synthetic data yields a forced answer that provides an unreliable version of the truth. AI-powered synthetic data is 80% accurate at best.

How does this disruption make leaders feel?

The disruption of AI has generated mixed reactions - including fear, trepidation, excitement, apathy, and skepticism. Many leaders are left feeling paralyzed and lacking confidence in their ability to navigate the reputation ecosystem in the new era of AI.

What do leaders need?

Leaders need a compass that provides them with a continuous and reliable source of truth - based on an understanding of AI, inclusive of perception-based data, and amplified by advice from reputation experts. In this way, modern leaders can be“chief navigation officers,” guiding communications and directing business strategy.

Final words on AI and reputation?

Do not get left behind. Generative AI will increasingly impact reputation. You need to embrace it, learn from it, and build safeguards around it. Practice Purposeful AI that's built upon a foundation of truth - and navigate the uncertainty with confidence.

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