Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Applications by Public Relations Practitioners in Government Institutions: A Survey Study of Al-Ahsa Governorate, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the adoption of artificial intelligence applications among public relations practitioners in governmental institutions in Al-Ahsa Governorate, by identifying the level of usage, practitioners' attitudes, the motivating factors, and the barriers that hinder adoption, in addition to examining differences according to selected personal and professional variables. The study adopted the descriptive survey method and used a questionnaire as data collection tool, which was administered to a sample of (180) public relations practitioners in governmental institution in Al-Ahsa Governorate. The results showed that the level of adoption of artificial intelligence applications was high, with positive attitudes among practitioners toward their use. The findings also indicated that key motivating factors included the availability of training, administrative support, and technological infrastructure, while the main barriers were lack of skills, data security concerns, and high costs. Furthermore, the results revealed statistically significant correlations between attitudes, motivating factors, and barriers with the level of adoption. It also indicated no statistically significant differences attributed to most variables, except for age, type of organization, and training courses. The study recommended enhancing training, supporting the adoption of modern technologies, and providing an appropriate organizational and technological environment for artificial intelligence applications.