Comms AI Newsletter – #1

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping communications at breakneck speed. Those who do not up-skill will find themselves outmatched and, ultimately, replaceable.

This is what ChatGPT said when I asked about the impact of AI for comms professionals.

Such a response may sound alarmist. Maybe the sort of thing an AI chatbot would say when asked about itself. And there are now plenty of countervailing voices, resisting the 'AI is the future' narrative (one such article is included in this issue).

However, I do believe that if you are a comms professional, AI will change your day job over the next five years. After all, AI continues to grow at an exponential rate from where it is today.

AI is already redefining the comms playbook in a way that was unthinkable just a decade ago. From real-time media monitoring, to predictive analytics and early crisis detection, the opportunities are deep and profound.

Yet, this transformation is not without risk. Misinformation, algorithmic bias, and the erosion of authenticity threaten to undermine trust, credibility and reputation. It will be the job of communicators to mitigate these risks.

I hope this newsletter goes some way to help colleagues navigate the disruption AI brings and make the most of some of the opportunities ahead.

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TOP TIPS

Brief like a human: In Jodie Cook's article Write Like A Professional Copywriter: AI Writing Beyond ChatGPT she says that whilst AI-generated content is often criticised, the real issue is poorly crafted prompts. She also notes that Claude has superior writing capabilities compared to ChatGPT:

With the right tool and the right process, it's like having a writing assistant and world class editor. It can take vague ideas and muddled concepts and turn them into works of art.

Cook suggests briefing Claude like you would a human writer—explain the goal, audience, tone, and reference specific documents or relevant files. It’s crucial to upload your own materials (e.g. style guides or writing examples) so Claude can learn your voice and preferences. The more context Claude has, the better it writes in your style. Create specific projects for different content formats (like LinkedIn posts, press releases, newsletters).

Cook highlights that Claude excels at creating nuanced and refined text, making it particularly suitable for professional copywriting tasks. In contrast, ChatGPT is recognised for its general-purpose capabilities, making it versatile for a wide range of applications. By understanding the strengths of each AI model, writers can select the tool that best suits their content creation needs.

Magnetic prompts: If you want to unlock the potential of ChatGPT and DeepSeek then you must use ‘magnetic prompts’, according to Prolific North.

That’s because certain words and phrases act like "magnets" within AI models.

So, for example:

For writing:

• Instead of a prescriptive “Write a product description for a coffee maker,” try the more evocative “Create a compelling product description for a high-end coffee maker, highlighting its unique features and benefits, with a focus on luxury and sophistication.”

And for visuals:

• Instead of saying, “Make an image of a city skyline,” try “Create a vibrant, futuristic city skyline at sunset, with glowing neon lights and reflective glass buildings, evoking a sense of innovation and energy.”

Experiment with different words that evoke specific emotions, styles, or structures. Over time, you’ll start to develop your own collection of magnetic prompts, customised for your unique needs.

I have noticed that ChatGPT is writing more like me as it gets to know my likes and dislikes (indeed, this newsletter is co-produced by ChatGPT).

AI IN THE NEWS

Inside Sam Altman's ChatGPT HQ - The Times (￡)

The next AI transformation will be driven by ‘agents’ that can book tickets, draft emails or conduct PhD-level research, say Open AI’s boss in an interview with The Times. OpenAI is working towards creating this artificial general intelligence (AGI) by 2030, whilst acknowledging challenges ahead like job displacement and societal upheavals.

LinkedIn Is Testing an AI Tool That Could Transform How People Search for Jobs: Wired

LinkedIn's new AI-powered job-searching tool aims to help users discover roles they might have missed using traditional search methods. The tool uses a custom large language model (LLM) to sift through vast amounts of data, analysing job descriptions, company information, and posts across the platform to surface relevant job opportunities. This tool allows job seekers to input more complex queries, like searching for roles that involve specific skills or fit particular salary ranges. Whilst the AI-powered approach could be game-changing, LinkedIn is mindful of potential biases in recruitment so it will need to ensure safety measures are in place to mitigate discrimination.

New York Times goes all-in on internal AI tools

This piece is summarised neatly by Pete Pachal: NYT is "officially allowing its journalists to use AI tools for specific tasks [even whilst suing OpenAI] .... things like generating SEO headlines, summarising articles, brainstorming ideas, editing, and research. But there’s a firm no-no list, too: ?? No drafting or major rewriting of articles ?? No uploading copyrighted third-party material ?? No paywall workarounds ?? No generative images or video (except to report on the tech itself)."

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

The rise of the new romanticism, by Ross Barkan

We can already read, write, and create. We can paint. We can publish books. We can make music. What is the purpose of having machines do it for us? Why?

EVENTS

Know about an event coming up? Do let me know about it.

AI UK 2025: Hosted by The Alan Turing Institute, AI UK 2025 is the UK's national showcase of data science and artificial intelligence. The event will feature sessions on the latest developments in AI research, interactive demonstrations, and networking opportunities. It is scheduled for 17 to 18 March and will take place in London.

5th World Conference on Media and Communication: Taking place from 27 to 29 March at Worcester College, Oxford, this conference aims to bring together academics and professionals for discussions on various topics in media and communication, offering networking opportunities and insights from industry leaders.

Generative AI Summit 2025: Taking place from 31 March to 2 April, at Novotel London West, this summit will focus on AI, data, and analytics, offering opportunities to connect and learn.

PEOPLE

Guardian appoints Director of Public Policy: The Guardian has appointed Tami Hoffman as its Director of Public Policy, effective March 2025. Hoffman joins from ITN, where she held multiple roles, including Director of News Distribution and Commercial Innovation and AI Lead. With over 20 years of experience in broadcast news, she will now advise the Guardian's approach to AI and public policy on a global scale, analysing the risks and benefits of AI and coordinating public policy strategies.

LISTEN

Making money from AI: after DeepSeek - Financial Times podcast

The FT’s AI editor Madhumita Murgia explores the financial implications and viability of generative AI, particularly following the introduction of China's DeepSeek, which offers a cost-effective AI model. The discussion highlights the growing interest in AI education and the challenges faced by companies like Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta as they compete in the AI market. The podcast also speculates on the future of AI tools, suggesting they might emulate price wars similar to budget airlines, impacting user experience.

JOB OF THE WEEK

Head of Communications, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 (London, fixed term)

If you made it this far, please subscribe to Comms AI Newsletter. #2 will be published early March.