At the recent Ragan Internal Communications Conference hosted at Microsoft Headquarters, the spotlight was on the transformative potential of Generative AI (GenAI) within the communications field. I had the privilege of co-presenting with Lindsey Grays, Communications Officer at the Gates Foundation. We dove into how communicators can lead during this pivotal era. Through our discussion, we shared personal and professional experiences on continuous upskilling, along with actionable insights that can be readily implemented within organizations. Here’s a detailed recap.
The Evolution of AI in Communications
The conversation began with a reminder that AI is not new. It's been around for the greater part of a century — and it has not replaced human creativity or production. We traced AI’s journey from the release of the first mathematical computer model of the biological neuron in 1943 to the subfield of machine learning to the refined capabilities of GenAI. This evolution underscores the significant leap forward that GenAI represents, with the democratization of the ability to quickly and easily generate new content such as text, images and videos using advanced neural networks and large-scale language models within a simple chat interface.
The Role of Communicators in GenAI Adoption
At Gagen, we believe that communicators are at the forefront of the GenAI revolution. Our linguistic foundation, our understanding of the importance of context and our discipline to ensure information is accurate and unbiased uniquely position us to interact with GenAI tools and lead GenAI initiatives. The ability to interpret data, ask probing questions, craft compelling narratives and drive organizational change makes communicators essential in this technological shift.
While communicators are particularly well-suited to leverage GenAI tools, we do need to develop some new skills and ways of working to do so effectively. In this era of constant change, continuous learning will prepare us for what's coming next. Learning something new takes time, energy, a growth mindset and the organizational support to do it. Upskilling ourselves and our team members is crucial, and we can also play a critical role in educating others about GenAI capabilities. By developing comprehensive training programs and resources, we can help demystify the technology, making it accessible and understandable to all employees. This educational aspect is vital for fostering a supportive, psychologically safe environment where GenAI tools can be effectively integrated and utilized.
Practical Applications of GenAI in Communications
During our time on stage, we explored numerous use cases where GenAI can revolutionize communications beyond content creation:
Automating brand guideline and AP style compliance: Automation of repeatable editorial tasks like ensuring newsletter articles comply with brand guidelines, AP style guidelines and inclusive language guidelines is easy to do by creating Custom GPTs with Enterprise ChatGPT or using Microsoft Studio and now Claude – but always be sure that the tool you are using is approved by IT and secured in your own private network if you share any proprietary information.
Enhance employee engagement: Connecting more effectively with employees using real-time feedback, chatbots and personalized assistance.
Empower crisis management: Utilizing predictive analytics and advanced data analysis for proactive crisis management.
Improve public affairs: Monitoring policy landscapes, managing brand reputation, analyzing issues and supporting decision-making. As a leading advisory firm, our parent company APCO’s AI Comms Lab has built a tool called Margy that does just that, and more. Margy is our proprietary AI tool, secured behind our firewall and powered by APCO’s collective wisdom and best-of-class technology to make our deliverables more informed, our analytics deeper and our impact greater. Margy specializes in two key areas:
Brand reputation, issues management and insights
Policy and legislation landscape analysis
Read more about Margy and our AI Comms Lab here.
Key Insights for GenAI Readiness & Adoption
When adopting any new technology, understanding your team's readiness for change is key to determining the best way to guide them along the adoption curve. Successful adoption of new technology represents a behavioral shift and requires different ways of working. To succeed, it is paramount to meet people where they are and support them on their change journey. Without proper change management, even the most dynamic GenAI systems can face resistance, misunderstanding and underutilization. By fostering a culture that supports and guides employees through this transition, organizations can unlock the full potential of GenAI, ensuring a smoother and more successful adoption process.
1. Behavioral Shift and Change Management:
Successful GenAI adoption requires a significant behavioral shift within organizations. It’s not just about implementing new technology but also about changing the experiences people have at work. Guiding employees through their change journey is critical. I’ve always said, you can get all the technical details on a project right and it can still fail if you don’t address the people side.
2. Tailored Approaches to Change:
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Combining change adoption methodologies, holistic organizational assessments and targeted learning and development programs tailored to your culture and the populations you are serving helps address resistance and improve adoption rates.
3. Upskilling and Continuous Learning:
Encouraging a culture of continuous learning and providing psychological safety to experiment and fail are key to fostering innovation with GenAI.
Aligning upskilling opportunities with the top trending skills in today’s GenAI environment will ensure employees are equipped to succeed. The World Economic Forum lists the below skills as the top five on the rise in their 2023 Future of Jobs Report:
Creative thinking
Analytical thinking
Technological literacy
Curiosity and lifelong learning
Resilience, flexibility and agility
4. Leveraging Change Champions:
Establishing change champion networks helps socialize new ways of working. These champions act as role models and provide support to their peers, facilitating smoother transitions.
Future Trends and Considerations
Looking ahead, the future of GenAI in communications is promising. Many organizations that we work with have been given access to Microsoft 365 Copilot as it is secured behind their IT networks with all the proper IT security protocols. Recently, Microsoft announced Copilot Wave 2. The upgrades include further integration with everyday tools like Word and PowerPoint as well as collaborative ways to use AI. With the new feature in Copilot called Pages, it is possible to take the insights Copilot finds for you from across your business data, edit them, add them to a Page and then share them. Python in Excel is another new feature in Microsoft Copilot 365 that will democratize data analysis while advancements in Copilot Studio enhance capabilities to automate repeatable processes.
Other advancements in tools such as Sora and Runway allow for the creation of human-like avatars and realistic videos from text. With these latter advancements come risks, however. Communicators must become even more vigilant about disinformation, deepfakes and the potential misuse of AI-generated content.
Reflecting on the insights shared at the Ragan Internal Communications Conference, it’s clear the true catalyst for successful change lies in our ability to connect, inspire and support our people through this journey. By fostering a culture that embraces technological advancements and values the human element, we set the stage for a thriving, innovative and resilient organization. It’s not just about adopting new tools, but about transforming mindsets and creating experiences that show the “what’s in it for me” as people decide whether to adopt the change. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, leveraging tailored change management approaches and harnessing the power of GenAI tools, communicators can lead their organizations into a new era of innovation and efficiency.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the vibrant discussions. Let’s continue to explore and share learnings about the future of communications with GenAI.
