Is AI taking over communications roles?

Is AI taking over communications roles? This question has been lingering in my mind for the longest time because, I mean, I am a communications professional, and, anyway, who wants to end up in an ‘extinct role’? I honestly love and enjoy my career!

My curiosity – and subtle apprehensions – could not be left unearthed, and I quickly seized a rare opportunity that came my way through @DiploFoundation to join the Autumn 2024 AI Apprenticeship course. This was an intense three–month crash course that brought together professionals from different fields to engage in hands–on exercises to acquire practical skills and knowledge about AI. The course also provided a platform for participants to deliberate and experience first–hand how academic institutions, diplomatic services, and international organisations will evolve in the AI era.

What an eye–opening experience this has been! There are a few lessons I bagged:

• While AI technology can quickly generate ideas and content, which translates to efficiency, it lacks the empathy, common sense, intuition, moral, and ethical decision–making, etc., that are innate in humans. It is, therefore, important to have a communications professional review and package this information to fit and connect with our audiences.
• AI tools are created through content inputted by humans and, therefore, tend to be biased at times. It is, thus, critical to have communications specialists review and ensure that the information being given is correct and accurate.
• Believe it or not, AI tools hallucinate! This means that they can also generate false information that sounds convincingly true, but is very wrong and made up, which can lead to the dreaded PR crisis situations!

All in all, I believe that advancements such as these are great additions to our careers, and it is important to have organisations embrace the technology. However, in my experience as a communications professional, I tend to wonder if this will be an additional burden we have to bear as organisations’ brand stewards! Most colleagues in this field lament the lack of involvement from the onset of projects and only get called in for the launching and creation of the glitz, glam, and attractive publicity.

Do you think, as a communications professional, that this technology has opened Pandora’s box for quick content generation (speeches, publications, videos, images, factsheets, etc.)? How well are we prepared as communications specialists to fact–check, advise, and manage what is churned out? Does this mean that we are quietly but quickly eroding and losing the brand promises that we have worked so hard to build for our audiences?

Ms Diana Moraa is a global public relations and communications consultant with over a decade of experience across international development, humanitarian aid, and the private sector. She recently completed Diplo’s AI Apprenticeship course.

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