Could Artificial Intelligence Put The Communications Professional Out Of A Job? Posted on : Jan 28 - 2020

Are professional communicators at risk of being replaced by machines? Can corporate, and perhaps even marketing, communications be performed by software? Or is communication something we deem to be exclusively human? Do we feel immune from the forces of artificial intelligence (AI) because we believe only humans possess the ability to create things like irony, nuance or even humor?

These are pretty serious questions. I don’t pretend to have the answers, but I’m thinking about them as we move further into this new decade. We should all be thinking about them.

Consider these well-known facts: Machines are already beating world champions in chess. They are driving cars and buses. Digital advertising and social media campaigns are using algorithms for targeting audiences with incredible specificity. And think of all the platforms and applications -- beyond Siri and autocorrect -- that recognize, anticipate and write our sentences for us. Surely, you have had Gmail or LinkedIn accurately finish your sentence. I know I have.

Now, consider the copy we write: pitches and press releases, ad copy, presentations, speeches, scripts, annual benefits communications, quarterly financial results, messaging documents, etc. Many of these repeat themselves on a regular basis; most have certain key ingredients that are either required (compliance) or typical (best practice). Yet, we’re not always successful. Why is that, and what do we need to do differently so we are not replaced by machines?

The variables are the communicators -- the writers or speakers -- as well as the standards we expect from or apply to our craft. Rather than eliminating the human variable and turning these communication tasks over to well-written code, how can we get ahead of the curve and communicate smarter and toward more specific and successful outcomes like a machine would?

While I don’t have all the answers, I do think there are certain standards that we’ve let slip and need to bring back to our collective consciousness. Here are three principles of good communication that might help keep us a few steps ahead of smart software:

1. Audience-centricity

Let your audiences guide what you communicate, not the kitchen cabinet around you that only has one recipe -- namely, corporate-speak. No one likes corporate-speak, and many cannot understand it. (The only audience happy with corporate-speak is the legal department.) Know who you’re writing for or speaking to; anticipate their needs, interests and level of understanding, and then communicate. Sometimes, the usual best practice is really just common practice and not necessarily the best. View More