Here's what you missed during my workshop at Ragan’s conference

What a week!

I’m excited to share some key takeaways from my recent workshop at the Ragan Communications Employee Communications and Culture Conference. It was an eye-opening session in which we discussed the role of AI in communications.

I started by polling the audience on their use of AI, revealing a surprising insight: while almost everyone uses AI in some capacity, very few comms leaders use AI's more advanced capabilities.

​

This divide underscores a critical need for communications leaders to enhance their AI literacy and leverage the technology more effectively.

​

Here are five key takeaways from the discussion:

1. Understand AI’s Role: Recognize AI as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. It’s crucial to use AI tools as assistants that enhance the human element of our work, not replace it.
   ​
2. Be Aware of Ethical Considerations: Address ethical and governance issues related to AI use. From data privacy to intellectual property, understanding the legal and ethical implications is crucial for responsible deployment.
   ​
3. Evaluate Your Tech Stack: Choose the right AI tools to support your communication goals. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so it's essential to evaluate tools based on specific needs, including privacy and IP concerns.
   ​
4. Use AI for First Drafts Only: Use AI only to create first drafts, not the final product. Think of AI as a genius intern who will occasionally make up answers when they get stumped. You are responsible both for quatlity control and for adding a human element to what AI produces.
   ​
5. Engage and Experiment: Lead by example. Use AI yourself and encourage your team to use it for routine assignments and tasks. This hands-on approach will improve your team's comfort with AI and spur innovation.

​

I hope you find these insights helpful. I should receive the full video of my workshop in the next couple of weeks. Be sure to join my email newsletter, and once I get it, I'll be sure to share it with you.