Join us for our next AI for communicators series, Friday Sept. 5, 8-9 am PT. This month we’re joined by Jon Bates, executive and employee communications leader for Western Europe at Microsoft.
As communicators, we find ourselves at the heart of AI transformation. We are helping our organizations navigate change, build trust, and unlock new possibilities, all the while this technology changes the way we operate in our own profession.
View the recording here:
The capacity gap: why this technology matters now
At the center of this transformation wave in the next 12 -18 months will be the concept of the “Frontier Firm”. These will be organizations which embrace AI-first thinking to scale, innovate, personalize, and elevate every aspect of their operations.
And this applies to communications too – especially in the way that the world of work is under pressure, with a majority of employees and leaders feeling stretched, lacking the time, energy, and tools to do their best work.
AI offers a way to close the capacity gap. By automating routine tasks, streamlining workflows, and surfacing insights, it frees all of us, and communicators, to focus on what matters most: strategy, creativity, and connection.
Four Pillars of AI Transformation in Communications
At the heart of becoming Frontier are four pillars that can guide how AI delivers real value in our organizations, and for communications:
- Enriching Employee Experiences
Generative AI transforms how employees engage with their work. By automating repetitive tasks, it allows communicators to focus on crafting meaningful messages and fostering deeper connections. It’s not just about efficiency—it’s about wellbeing. When employees spend less time on the mundane, they have more energy for the creative and strategic.
- Reinventing Engagement
In addition to changing how your organization engages with their customers, AI enables communicators to move from broadcast to dialogue in new and exciting ways. It helps personalize messages, tailor content to audience behaviors, and deliver insights that guide strategy. AI empowers us to connect more deeply with our audiences, internal and external alike.
- Reshaping Business Processes
Communications is a business process, and AI is reshaping it. From content generation to analytics and personalization, AI streamlines how we work and enhances how we deliver. It’s not just about doing things faster; it’s about doing them better. Messages become moments, and campaigns become conversations.
- Bending the Curve on Innovation
AI accelerates innovation—not just in products, but in culture. Communicators play a vital role in spotting emerging themes, amplifying bold ideas, and connecting innovators with the right platforms. AI helps us surface what matters, faster, and share it in ways that inspire action.
Our role as communicators
Despite the promise of AI, trust will remain a critical barrier as globally, confidence in AI technologies is fragile. Our people want to understand not just what’s changing, but why it matters and how it helps them.
So, as we look ahead, the message is clear: AI is not just a wave of change, it’s a moment of possibility. And as communicators, we’re not just riding that wave, we’re helping shape its direction.
In this upcoming webinar, we’ll dive deeper into each of these pillars of AI transformation in the frontier firm and explore how Microsoft is embracing them to reshape communications - from the tools we use to the culture we build. You’ll hear real examples, meet the teams behind the agents, and learn how you can apply these ideas in your own work.
Because the future of communications isn’t just about what we say, it’s about how we lead. And with AI, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do just that.
Make sure to register at aka.ms/FirstFridaysSept We’re excited to have you join us next month!
If you missed any of our previous AI for Communicators webinars you can view them at aka.ms/FirstFridaysPlaylist.
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