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AI in organizations: Successfully implementing transformation and AI-supported communication

Corporate communications is on the brink of a transformative era, marked by the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the digitalisation of communication practices.

Integrating AI into corporate communications is not just a necessity but a gateway to a future of enhanced efficiency and competitive advantage. It will help increase communications efficiency, improve customer loyalty, and achieve competitive advantages.

Business communication in organisations will change. It will no longer mainly focus on traditional communication practices but will accompany companies’ digital transformation process with humanized communication.

PR and communication activities in an AI-driven environment include:

  • Development of AI-based corporate communication strategies
  • Communications advisory and support in all phases of an organization’s transmission
  • Prompt engineering for Corporate communications. Humanization of AI-based texts
  • Development of ethical strategies
  • AI-based internal communications
  • AI-based external communications: focusing on humanized storytelling in media work, branding and client communications
  • Public Relations: AI-based multi-channel communications in media relations

Facts about AI in communications

AI is reshaping the business communication landscape and empowering leaders to connect more effectively with their audiences. By harnessing the power of AI-driven data insights, automation and personalization, businesses can benefit, foster stronger relationships, drive engagement, and, as a result, achieve more lavish, extraordinary

While the role of AI in communications is set to expand, the importance of human skills and judgment remains paramount. The human employee, or the Communications advisor, provides essential checks and balances to mitigate potential pitfalls.

AI has entered a stage in corporate communications that allows for next-level efficiency enhancements in content creation and idea generation.

AI-based communication enables the digital transformation of organizations, but to succeed, this communication requires humanization.Human skills that AI cannot replace, such as empathy, emotions and judgement, will be crucial to a company’s communication success.

Therefore, the role of a communications employee or advisor is an integral part of successful corporate and transformational communications. This function also includes control options to defuse verbal pitfalls such as unethical, discriminatory statements, emotionalise texts, and formulate them authentically and in line with the target group.

 

Challenges of AI-generated communication

  1. AI still lacks the human perspective to develop innovative PR strategies.
  2. Using AI-based content means you can’t rely on the accuracy of the information.
  3. Legal issues relating to plagiarism, authorship, correctness, etc., remain unresolved. This is why using generative AI tools in communications must be accompanied by strict quality management. Read more about AI and ethics here.
  4. Understanding different traditions, cultures, and languages is crucial from a global communications perspective. AI can deliver analyses and translations but cannot always capture or respond appropriately to subtle cultural nuances.
  5. Transformation communications and crisis communications: AI cannot yet provide the ability to reliably interpret non-verbal signals, respond to individual needs or build relationships. Both crisis and transformation situations require sensitivity, empathy and human interaction.
  6. Finding qualified employees with the necessary expertise to use AI in corporate communications can be challenging.

 

AI and transformational communications

The disruptive nature of digital transformation impacts companies’ structure, strategy, and culture, requiring appropriate corporate communications. 

The impact of technology in the short term but underestimate it in the long term” (Gartner)

This applies to generative AI, too. Do not underestimate or fear the power of generative AI—join the ride!

AI is an asset for corporate communications teams. It offers streamlined processes, automation, data-driven insights and time savings.

Corporate communications teams can increase their focus on high-level strategic planning, build relationships with key stakeholders and help them deliver value to your organization and stakeholders.

Corporate communications, especially internal communications, must play a leading role in the cultural transformation of an organization. Their task is:

  1. Creating acceptance for the digital transformation
  2. Shaping and accompanying the digital transformation

AI Communications and ethics

The ethical use of AI is critical.

Particularly in maintaining transparency with stakeholders, such as labelling and ensuring corporate compliance with industry regulations.

Organizations must have formal ethical guidelines and policies in place for their use. Communications professionals, legal counsel and senior management, will have to identify understandable and practicable rules for engagement to ensure the privacy of confidential information. Regarding data security, client and institutional knowledge must be appropriately incorporated.

With the AI Act, the EU has created a basis for regulating the development and use of AI technologies in Europe, such as facial recognition or automated decision-making in critical areas. Companies need to understand the implications of this directive and ensure that their practices comply with the new regulations. This can affect how organizations collect data, use AI and interact with customers.

This is because organizations’ AI systems must be developed and deployed in a transparent, responsible, privacy-compliant way that is understandable to the public. Companies’ AI-supported communication practices must comply with these regulations and be transparent, ethical and lawful. This is the only way to strengthen the trust of the target group and minimize potential AI risks. More details about the European AI Act can be found here.

AI and brand communications

Brands will seek a universal, emotional connection.

Community communications, engagement, and interaction go beyond enabling an AI response. At the same time, AI will support improving customer engagement deeper in the buying funnel.

Thoughtful brands will use their people and authentic communications as their differentiators.

A strong brand enhances trust, authority and credibility.

Your company’s brand is a magnet for like-minded professionals, talent and potential partners. By clearly articulating your values, goals and what you stand for, you’re more likely to attract individuals and organizations that share your vision and are willing to invest in it.

 

AI and multi channel communications

The emotional experience on different communication channels

Telling the company’s authentic story on different platforms, including video, social media channels, events, podcasts, blogs, etc., will make reaching an organization’s target groups easier.  If your story is not authentic and does not have consistent messaging, a company risks losing credibility and, as a result, the loyalty of the target audience.

Humanized Storytelling

AI texts and technology jargon

Technology companies in particular face the challenge of making their business stories easily understandable to their audience: clients, investors and future employees. In general, they communicate this in jargon or very complex language, which is not helpful for brand building, finding investors and clients, or attracting talent. This prevents them from reaching just the subset of people with expertise in the topic.

Humanization of AI Texts

Humanizing AI-based texts: bridging the gap between technology and empathy.

In the dynamic landscape of digital communication, the lines between machine and human communication blur. At the same time, one of the most pressing challenges concerns empathy, authenticity and ethics. Humanization of communications is the heartbeat of meaningful conversations and one of the most pressing challenges. With the efficiency of algorithm-backed AI, texts are often impersonal and robotic in their output.

Raw AI-generated texts often need to capture the nuances of human communication. AI can perform specific sentiment and language analysis aspects but cannot always fully understand or respond appropriately to human emotions.

Since AI models learn from vast datasets, they may inadvertently generate societal biases in the training data, leading to discriminatory or insensitive responses.

The humanization of AI-generated texts, which means incorporating a human touch, plays a significant role for communications professionals.

By reviewing and adjusting AI-generated texts with authenticity, empathy and ethical awareness, humans will bridge the gap between technology and humanity. This will avoid marginalizing or excluding certain demographic groups.