Artificial Intelligence (AI). It's a phrase that's making waves in countless industries, including the realm of internal communications. Notable strategic communication expert and industry pioneer, Adrian Cropley - Founding Director at Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence sheds light on just how critical AI is becoming in a recent episode of Sparrow Connected’s ICON podcast.
The core of Adrian's message holds a critical lesson for all communication professionals. In Adrian's words, "We're in transformation right now, and everybody is grappling to get their heads around AI and how it works...we sat back during the advent of social media. We need to be at the forefront and exploring this technology, not fearing it." An unmistakable call to action for every forward-looking internal communications professional to fully harness the dynamism of AI.
According to Adrian, AI lights the path towards a myriad of possibilities for reshaping internal communication strategies. AI's prowess in delivering data-driven insights, individualized experiences, and powerful tools, makes way for more meaningful, impactful internal communication. Adrian affirms, "AI can work for you in such a way that it can really help you craft your communications in a much smarter way."
In the age of data-driven decision making, AI stands as a significant pillar. Adrian brings attention to AI's capabilities to provide insights about target audiences, content effectiveness, and preferred channels, marking a departure from traditional intuition-led campaigns. Adrian underlines this, saying "the thing that AI allows us to do is really start using that data in a really smart, predictive, and effective way to reach our people in so many different ways".
AI, in Adrian’s view, is instrumental in bridging communications gaps. Advancements in AI have led to significant leaps in automating processes, delivering real-time responses, improved accessibility, and multi-channel experiences. To quote Adrian, "AI does what it's designed to do, it doesn't have a brain. It does what we program it to do".
Adopting technologies like AI does carry its share of ethical considerations and potential risks. Being judicious with the adoption of AI is thus as crucial as leveraging its capabilities. Adrian asserts, "As communication professionals, we have to do what we have done for years – which is be the conscience, be the ethics in an organization".
To conclude, Adrian sees the arrival of AI in internal communications as a paradigm shift – one that is exciting yet demands a deep understanding and sharp strategic acumen. Adrian states, "It’s an exciting time for us to be looking at how we can utilize AI, machine learning, virtual reality."
To hear Adrian's thoughts on AI in internal comms, listen to Echo Sparrow Connected's insightful ICON podcast episode. The AI journey promises to be an exciting voyage of exploration, learning, creating extraordinary outcomes in internal communications!