Abstract
This study investigates New Zealand public relations practitioner perspectives of emerging technologies as of the year 2020. In order to do this, practitioner perspectives, ethical challenges and uses of emerging technologies were identified. This involved the use of convenience sampling, semi-structured interviews and a conceptual content analysis as methodological processes. The findings from these processes revealed that practitioners are largely supportive of emerging technologies, often adopting and utilising them in their practices. However, it also established that the majority of practitioners feel ethically challenged by the incorporation of these technologies, particularly due to concerns regarding transparency. It is the unknown potentials of these never-before-used technologies that have also justifiably prevented them from using emerging technologies to their full potential. As a result of these findings, recommendations have also been provided indicating how practitioners might be able to mitigate the myriad of potential concerns they have. Ultimately, the findings illustrate that practitioners are fully aware that the world is entering a new technological revolution and that their profession is intertwined with this journey.
