By Monique Zytnik, IABC EMENA Region Chair and Employee Communication Leader

With all the new tools at our fingertips, as professional communicators, our new challenge in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is knowing if what we’re looking at is good or not. It is also knowing what questions to ask to make it better.  

Right now we’re at the start of the fourth industrial revolution, where AI, the metaverse, and blockchain are changing the way we do business. Attention is the biggest commodity and attention span is short. Content is cheap and the only way to cut through is to be strategically brilliant. Yes, AI can help. 

Let’s get a bit more specific about AI and comms
Talking about AI is a bit like talking about animals. It isn’t helpful to talk about a big animal with sharp teeth, that slithers, makes cute tweeting noises and has long fluffy fur. We need to be more specific because there are various types of AI: for example, generative AI is quite different from the other AI types. For example, one of the scary forms is a bit like AI-powered CCTV which allows for vision-based biometric identification and categorisation of people. This is now banned thanks to the new European Union AI Act, in force from 1 August 2024. There are of course exceptions, for example, for law enforcement in some circumstances.   

From a communication perspective, the current focus is on generative AI. A recent Gartner study revealed that 94% of the comms leaders surveyed globally had been focusing on content creation-related AI. But there are so many more opportunities of how we can integrate AI in our communication processes. For example, sentiment analysis could be used for internal communication as a part of the organisational listening tools, or data crunching AI could be used to look at patterns in intranet readership.

Is it OK to use AI avatars for employee communication?
A German supermarket chain REWE is experimenting with a hologram-like AI avatar. An AI avatar is a sophisticated programme designed using cutting-edge AI including natural language processing, machine learning, and synthetic media. These avatars are not just virtual representations but can interact in a human-like way, learning from interactions to improve over time.  

The REWE avatar is trained on different policies, and other matters within the organisation; employees can walk up to it and ask questions, such as “How much leave do I have left?” The human-like avatar is based on a digital workplace leader, so a real person, and uses his/her likeness and voice. As far as I understand, this is still early days, so  benefits versus cost are still being assessed. Of course, the AI avatar doesn’t need to take holidays and is available all the time, so some potential benefits have already been identified. There are many opportunities and also threats that I can see on using AI avatars for employee communication.

Choose the tools to fit your purpose
What AI you use depends on what problems you’re trying to solve, or what processes you’re trying to enhance in your communication team. One of my greatest frustrations is when people think the AI solution is a cookie-cutter approach. I can’t tell you which AI to implement, but I can, by working the problem through with you, work it out.  

Like anything strategic, you need to know where you are and where you want to get to. Who are the people in your organisation? What is your purpose in the organisation as a team? Is it media relations or internal communication? What are your communication team’s processes? For example, you can get a DeepL plugin to your Viva Connect intranet or website, to allow for a quality multilingual translation. BUT this doesn’t make sense for your intranet if your company is based in Australia and your employees only speak English.

Manage upwards
One of the biggest challenges right now is the perception that particularly generative AI can bring productivity to the communication team. We need to clearly define our value in stakeholder management skills, strategic thinking and spar partner to our leaders. AI is here to help us and although it can draft an email for our CEOs, it is unlikely that it will challenge them in an appropriate way, at the right time, to get better communication results.  

We have three key tasks ahead. We need to move from play to productive, not only with gen AI, but other areas of AI. Internal communication professionals also need to help their people to be comfortable with AI as adopting some forms of AI is a technology change process. Thirdly, we need to be upskilling ourselves in those stakeholder management and consultancy skills where we can continue to bring value as human beings.  


About Monique Zytnik
Monique Zytnik is the author of Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, published 30 May 2024 by Business Expert Press, NY. It is the #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release, and the first internal communication business book for leaders to help them communicate at scale with their people. Read a preview copy of Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence or connect with her on LinkedIn to continue the discussion.