Managing communications has become a very difficult task. Whether it’s keeping audiences engaged, navigating tough economic times, or even overcoming an unexpected brand crisis, each year brings new challenges.
There is much debate about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and communications, and for good reason. This is because AI has the potential to reshape the corporate communication environment. Corporate communications teams have a responsibility to protect their brands from potential misfires caused by AI technology. However, it can be difficult to know where to start evaluating the risks and benefits.
Rachelle Bedell, Communications and Engagement Manager for the City of Gilroy, California, is experimenting with generative AI as she develops content that builds connections between Gilroy’s local government and its 60,000 residents.
We asked Bedel about the key takeaways on the benefits and drawbacks of using AI in communication roles. This guide features her tips along with advice on how communication her leaders can empower their teams to use this technology with confidence.
What can communications teams do with AI?
Many claim that AI will make teams more productive, but is there any evidence to support this? Bedell says there is.
“This not only makes us more efficient, but allows us to go further,” says Bedell. “It’s like the invention of the graphing calculator in mathematics. We no longer have to sit down and add numbers with paper and pencil. Instead, we take what it offers and do more.” can do things.”
But what exactly is “more”? Here are three actionable corporate communication applications that can help save your team time.
Streamline content ideation and creation
Communication professionals not only need to come up with creative and compelling brand messages, but they also need to tailor those messages to specific channels, audiences and events. It’s getting harder and harder to meet the right people with the right message at the right time.
Luckily, AI is here to help.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are unable to provide ready-to-publish content. There is still a lot of ambiguity about whether AI-generated content is protected by copyright law. To protect your business, it’s important to customize the final output with your brand’s distinctive tone. This allows you to maintain your brand image while still achieving a personal touch.
“I use this most often for rewriting,” says Bedell. “Ask for ideas on how to rephrase the content to make it more engaging or to encourage a specific action, evaluate the response and adjust from there.”
AI-powered tools can give you new perspectives, spark your creativity, and point you in the right direction without waiting for inspiration.
“This is a great starting point for creative ideas,” says Bedel. “For example, I am working on the city’s annual Pride Month campaign. We’ve been running campaigns, but this year we wanted to do something different, so I asked ChatGPT to come up with some ideas and go from there.”
At Sprout, the communications team employs generative AI to develop creative titles for press releases and media promotions. A simple prompt like “Write 3-4 variations of a press release headline related to X, Y, Z” can return valuable starting points for further refinement.
gather social insights
Audience insights are the foundation for better brand positioning. With AI, communications teams can gain a deeper understanding of their customers’ minds through sentiment analysis of social media.
Sentiment analysis tools use machine learning to gather information about consumer attitudes and assess their emotional state. In communications, these insights are commonly used to enhance media pitches, messaging, and executive communications.
For example, Indiana University’s marketing and communications team is using insights from Sprout’s social listening tools to stay up-to-date with conversations on campus and stay ahead of potential crises. These insights allow you to take proactive steps to manage your online reputation.
At Sprout, we are committed to building this technology with a set of new AI capabilities across our platform. We combine the power of our own machine learning and automation capabilities with OpenAI’s GPT model. New features will be available across the Sprout platform, starting with additions to Listening, Publishing, Customer Care, and Advocacy.
gain a global edge
Multilingual sentiment analysis uses native language machine learning to gather meaningful sentiment data from content in multiple languages. These tools capture the unique nuances of each language’s unique grammatical rules.
These insights will strengthen our communication efforts for non-English audiences and enable us to build brands that meet the diverse needs of our audiences. For communications professionals like Bedell, insights like this ensure that all audiences receive effective and impartial messages.
“California just passed a statewide law to allow sidewalk vending,” Bedell said. “Currently, we are changing our processes to accommodate state laws. This includes creating ways to make permits available to both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking people. .”
In the future, Bedel could use multilingual sentiment analysis to base this research on data collected from Spanish speakers in the region. This helps create a more personal message that reflects how residents are discussing the issue.
How communication teams can reduce risk when using AI
AI will undoubtedly transform the field of communication, but the professional behind the screen is irreplaceable.
“I saw a headline the other day that AI will eventually replace communication teams,” says Bedel. “I thought it had to come from someone not currently working in the field of communications. There are too many nuances in the role to fully automate. The technology is not yet established.” .”
On top of that, there’s a basic communication skill that always requires a human touch: building relationships.
“I don’t think people realize how important relationship building is to communication,” says Bedel. “It’s half the battle. The success of our content depends on our relationships with downtown businesses, public health, and others.”
Instead of thinking about whether AI will replace our jobs, we need to think about how AI will change our jobs. The collaboration of AI and communications experts paves the way for a future where technology enhances human creativity, insight and productivity, redefining individual potential at every level.
However, it is important to be aware of the risks associated with deploying AI. Finding the right balance between AI and human effort is key to achieving the best results. Understanding and addressing the risks associated with AI is critical to harnessing the potential of AI in communications.
double check everything
Professionals using text-based generative AI solutions should be aware of potential avenues of misinformation such as “chatbot hallucinations” and false claims.
Bedell experienced these problems firsthand. “I had asked ChatGPT to share the source, but it didn’t always work. contains hypothetical options.”
When using AI-generated content, it is important to thoroughly review it to ensure its accuracy and originality. Always ask your AI-powered assistant for sources and take the time to validate them. These steps are essential to maintaining brand safety and avoiding potential crises.
Prioritize data security
Speaking of crises, any communications professional will tell you that even a minor data security incident can turn into a complete nightmare.
The communications team is not responsible for setting rules about how and why teams use AI. However, it will have to deal with the aftermath of an employee sharing sensitive information with her AI tools, causing unfortunate privacy issues.
“You need to talk to your legal and technical teams to understand the pitfalls your organization may face when working with AI,” says Bedell. “It’s important to find safe ways for employees to use these kinds of tools.”
At Sprout, we prioritize data and intellectual property security by educating our team on the safe use of generative AI. To ensure responsible use, our legal and IT teams worked together to create a policy outlining approved and prohibited use cases.
This policy is simple and straightforward, even for individuals with limited experience with AI tools. This makes it easier for busy teams to cope with change, despite the rapid development of generative AI.
accept the experiment
Using AI comes with risks. However, not using AI also comes with its own risks.
Bedell analyzed it like this: “On the one hand, some companies are embracing AI. I feel like I am missing out on a huge opportunity to teach people how to truly capitalize on risk.”
Artificial intelligence takes hold. We will continue to find more applications of AI in communications, media, and PR. To avoid delays, it’s important to encourage teams to experiment with AI technology often.
Harnessing the power of AI in communications
Artificial intelligence can be a powerful ally in the ever-evolving world of corporate communications. Combining AI and human expertise opens up a new era of communication where professionals can connect, resonate and drive success at scale.
To learn more about how communication leaders are extracting value from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more, check out Sprout’s State of Social Media 2023 report.
