How leaning into AI can change the game for communicators

This article has been co-authored by Christopher Hannegan, Principal, PwC Consulting Solutions Workforce Transformation and Megan DiSciullo, US and Mexico Communications Leader, PwC?

AI has become a game-changer in the realm of communication, providing professionals with novel ways to create engaging, personalized content and strategic insights. To stay competitive, it's essential that communications leaders and teams embrace this emerging technology and learn how to apply it responsibly within their work in order to drive efficiency, productivity and greater value.

Following, we outline four recommendations based on our experience to date for communications professionals to consider when leading the way with this transformative innovation across the enterprise.

Test, Test and Test Again….

Communicators are finally embracing data & analytics as a key enabler to help them drive greater insights about their audiences, channels and sentiment. Yet, like any technology, the insights are only as good as how the user directs and interacts with the tool. Generative AI is no different. This is a place where communications departments can invest in upskilling their teams on how to use these technologies and directing prompts in the right way in order to gain the efficiencies and the quality desired. At PwC, we have a firmwide AI upskilling strategy that focuses on the value and responsible use for us and our clients, including training on “prompt engineering” and “how to spot potential bias in AI”.?

Generative AI has the ability to help communicators generate a range of content from internal newsletters, blogs, press releases, social media and more in a matter of seconds. While we still need to review and edit this content (even after using generative AI), if applied properly it can allow communicators at all levels to spend more time on strategy, quality control, stakeholder management, audience engagement and media relations. Yet, the efficiencies are only gained if teams know how to use the technology properly, responsibly and have trust in the system.

Increase Your Collaboration Between Communications and IT Departments

The successful implementation of generative AI in your communication strategy requires seamless collaboration between communications, business teams and technologists, relationships that may be strained in many organizations. Work closely with your IT counterparts to understand the technical requirements and limitations of AI technology and platforms, including the computing power that would be needed to support your teams using these tools. IT departments can also help advise on how to account for data privacy and confidentiality when using these tools. This collaboration can also help identify challenges that may arise during implementation, enabling you to develop solutions proactively.

Moreover, cross-functional cooperation can facilitate the sharing of knowledge and leading practices, helping everyone to be well-equipped to handle the challenges and opportunities that generative AI presents.

Establish Guidelines for Responsible AI-powered Communication

According to PwC’s recent Trust Survey, nearly all business leaders say their company is prioritizing AI-related initiatives and systems in the near term, but only 35% of executives say their company will focus on improving the governance of AI systems, processes, monitoring and reporting on AI model performance. As generative AI becomes more prevalent within the communications function and across the enterprise, it's essential for the communications leader to be on the forefront and collaborating with IT, legal, diversity, human capital and others within the business to develop responsible guidelines to ensure responsible use of this technology. Develop a framework (like the one we have for Responsible AI) that addresses key concerns, such as data privacy, transparency, and potential biases in AI-generated content. This framework should guide your team in making responsible decisions when incorporating AI into their work.

To further promote responsible AI use, consider creating an internal committee comprising representatives from different departments to review AI-generated content and confirm that it aligns with your organization's values and communication standards. Provide upskilling for your employees on AI, use guidelines and that these are incorporated into policies, handbooks and new hire onboarding.?

Invest In Safeguarding? Generative AI Environments?

Lastly, consider investing in specialized generative AI tools that will allow teammates to input data within a safeguarded environment. PwC recently announced a $1 billion commitment to help companies leverage the power of generative AI using OpenAI’s GPT-4/ChatGPT and backed by Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service. This will help us harness the power of the world’s most advanced AI models, in a safeguarded environment where we can leverage our own private data and intellectual property.?

By focusing on these areas, you can help your organization adapt to this emerging technology and unlock its potential to transform your communication strategy and upskill your C-suite leaders and employees. Generative AI presents a unique opportunity to drive greater efficiency and productivity for communications departments, but it's essential to find the right balance between automation and human creativity.

PS: We take our own advice - the initial draft of this post was generated by our own secure internal generative AI tool.