Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Strategic Communication: Organizational, Technological, and Environmental Determinants of Adoption in Agency Contexts

Abstract

The recent rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked interest among scholars in various fields, particularly public relations (PR) and strategic communication (SC). As the digital landscape evolves and competition intensifies, integrating AI technology into PR and SC practices becomes increasingly essential. This study aims to identify factors influencing AI adoption in PR and SC agencies using the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the relationships between influencing factors—client pressure, competitive pressure, compatibility, complexity, relative advantage, top management support, and organizational readiness—and the intention to adopt AI. A survey of 277 PR and SC agencies across the Arab world was conducted for data collection. The analysis indicated that client pressure, competitive pressure, relative advantage, and organizational readiness positively impact AI adoption, while complexity negatively affects it. Additionally, relative advantage mediates the relationship between competitive pressure and AI adoption, and organizational readiness mediates between compatibility and AI adoption, as well as between top management support and AI adoption. The study discusses the theoretical contributions and practical implications of these findings.

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