Communicating in a world redefined by AI

Communicating in a world redefined by AI

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Artificial intelligence has quickly moved from futuristic promise to present-day reality, reshaping how we work, connect and communicate. That shift was at the centre of Vuelio’s recent event, Communicating in a world redefined by AI, which brought together comms leaders to explore the opportunities and risks of this new era.

The discussion highlighted the dual narratives currently shaping AI: on one side, optimism about its role as the driver of a new industrial revolution, fuelling productivity and growth; on the other, scepticism about its potential to erode trust, creativity and even democracy.

We interviewed André Labadie Exec Chair, Business & Technology for Brands2Life and Vuelio’s Head of Insights Amy Chappell after the event to unpack their perspectives further.

Andre Labadie and Amy Chappell talking about communicating in a world redefined by AI

The narratives defining AI today

The event began by asking a simple but pressing question: how is AI being framed in our conversations right now? 

According to André, two narratives dominate. On one side, there is enormous enthusiasm: AI as the driver of the next industrial revolution, promising growth, productivity and creativity at scale. “It’s the idea that AI is going to power the next industrial revolution, a major engine of productivity, creativity and economic growth. Technology firms, consultancies, governments all want to push that message, and there’s real substance behind it.”

On the other, there is caution that recognises that these technologies also come with risks to trust, creativity, and even democratic processes. “We’ve moved on from the Robocop-style stories of killer robots,” André explained, “but there are still concerns. Whether around misinformation, ethical use, or how reliant on automation we should allow ourselves to become.”

This tension of optimism versus scepticism is playing out across media coverage, political debate, and popular culture. Communicators now face the challenge of addressing both sides with honesty and balance.

Chart showing rise of AI conversation in different categories, Vuelio Pulsar

Where media and public diverge

The event also explored where media and public opinion align on AI, and where they diverge.

At a macro level, both groups are aligned on jobs and ethics: whether roles will be displaced or reshaped by AI, and whether its applications are ethical. But beyond that, priorities differ.

“From a media lens, there’s a preoccupation with big-picture risks,” André says. “But the public, as employees or consumers, are more concerned with pragmatic and personal issues — can my child use AI safely for homework? Can I trust the reviews I’m reading online?”

This divergence matters for communicators. Messaging that plays well in the press may not resonate with employees or customers. Equally, public anxieties that appear small-scale can quickly become reputational flashpoints.

 

AI as solution as well as risk

Amy added an important counterpoint: AI may cause problems, but it can also be part of the solution. “It’s almost ironic, isn’t it — using AI to fix AI problems,” she reflected. “But AI can help detect misinformation, catch fake quotes, and verify sources. We’ve seen misquotes in the media around medical advice, and being able to use AI to spot and correct those quickly is vital.”

She also pointed to AI’s ability to process vast volumes of data: “From an analyst perspective, it can help us act quicker. If there’s a narrative playing out in the media, AI can help us understand what’s going on and deal with issues before they escalate.”

This dual role — both a risk factor and a potential safeguard — is central to how communicators should frame AI internally and externally.

 

Key challenges for communicators

For communicators trying to find their footing, André outlined three key challenges:

  1. Avoiding sensationalism. The hype cycle means every brand feels pressure to make statements on AI. “There are a lot of so-called thought leaders with strong opinions,” André noted. “The challenge is cutting through with something grounded and valuable.”
  2. Adding substance. Research shows most major companies now reference AI in their annual reports, but few explain how it has genuinely improved their operations. That gap between rhetoric and reality risks hollowing out trust.
  3. Maintaining credibility. Brands that present themselves as human-first but secretly rely on automation risk being caught out. Transparency, he argued, is the safest strategy.

André highlights Puma, the sportswear brand, faced criticism for releasing an AI-generated campaign despite its identity being rooted in human performance. Outsourcing to automation felt discordant and undermined credibility. By contrast, LinkedIn rolled out AI-generated job descriptions and career advice with clear labelling and careful positioning. “They presented it as a co-pilot rather than a replacement,” André says. “Consumers knew it was AI-driven, they understood its limitations, and they were more forgiving when mistakes occurred.”

 

The rise of new comms channels

As AI changes not just messaging but also the information ecosystem, the question of channels is increasingly pressing.

For André, executive communications remain key for signalling authenticity. Employees, too, are crucial — often the first to amplify or critique how AI is used internally.

And interactive forums matter more than ever. “Reddit AMAs, Q&As — those have a double benefit,” he explained. “Not only do they engage audiences directly, but AI-powered search engines and large language models are increasingly over-indexing on content from those spaces.”

This led to wider discussion on phenomena like “Google Zero”, where AI-driven summaries reduce traffic to news websites. As André pointed out, this is a business model crisis for publishers — but also a challenge for communicators, who must ensure brand content surfaces in the discursive spaces where AI is now sourcing information.

 

Keeping humans in the loop

Both panellists stressed the importance of human oversight.

Amy highlighted the need for governance and scepticism when working with vendors: “Don’t use AI outputs as the finished article. Keep humans involved in verification, and don’t overtrust vendors who overpromise.”

She also emphasised the role of human spokespeople: “If you have a person quoted in an article or broadcast, you maintain a level of trust that an AI output alone can’t offer.”

André echoed this, pointing to the risk of “slop” — AI-generated work that looks polished but lacks depth. “The differentiator is still judgment,” he argued. “What makes communication stand out is originality, cultural awareness and human connection.”

 

The future of junior comms roles

The conversation turned to how AI will reshape entry-level and mid-level roles. André was clear: junior communicators must still be trained in the fundamentals. “Graduates are tomorrow’s middle managers. If we don’t train them properly now, we’ll face a crisis later,” he warned.

He also predicted new skillsets: “We’ll all become orchestrators of agents. Rather than going to a colleague for help, you’ll go to AI agents. So junior staff will need to understand how to stitch technologies together and manage processes as well as people.”

Amy agreed, emphasising the need for critical thinking: “If we don’t train graduates, they won’t know how to interrogate AI outputs. Critical thinking and strategic oversight are going to be essential skills.”

 

Pitfalls to avoid

Over-reliance was a recurring theme. Amy warned against being dazzled by tools that overpromise: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. No tool can do everything — so don’t integrate anything you can’t fully trust.”

André added that organisations often try to move too fast: “Don’t boil the ocean. Start with a subset of workflows, experiment, and build from there.”

Both panellists agreed that while AI can streamline workflows, it cannot replace human creativity, judgment and accountability.

 

Experiment boldly, communicate authentically

The overarching takeaway from the event is that AI is here to stay — but its impact will be defined by how organisations choose to use it.

Experimentation is important, but so are transparency and authenticity. As Amy noted, combining AI-driven monitoring with human oversight is key to managing fast-moving narratives. As André stressed, an “okay” AI-generated pitch won’t win new business — originality and distinctiveness still matter most.

Artificial intelligence may be redefining the landscape, but it is human judgment that will continue to shape the stories worth telling.

Six evidence-backed ways to survive a PR crisis

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When a crisis is emerging and time is scarce, staying silent can feel like the easy option — yet recent research by the Vuelio Insights team shows that shutting down communications altogether can do much more harm than good.

So, what are the most effective steps you can take to limit negative coverage around your brand? How do you measure the impact of the crisis on your brand and the wider industry?

In our recent webinar we explored how world-leading companies have successfully survived short, mid, and long-term crises, and the mistakes made by those who did not do so well.

While we analysed data across a diverse range of industries and contexts, those who performed best often adopted similar methodologies. Here are some of the most effective tactics that have positively served brands undergoing reputational risk in the press.

1. Proactive > Reactive

Being vocal, transparent, and accessible in a crisis is essential, and our insights research backs it up. It shows that brands who choose to stay silent demonstrate less control over negative coverage than those who speak up.

But timing is key, and waiting too long to reach out can have the same impact as not saying anything at all. Proactive strategies that communicate your key messages ahead of, or during, the initial stages of a crisis generate much higher media interest than those who simply react when negative coverage has emerged.

Example:

During a prolonged period of strikes and cancellations across the airline sector last year, RyanAir chose to only be reactive by sharing positive news stories after negative peaks in coverage emerged against the brand. As a result, these releases did not get much media awareness in comparison to negative coverage. However, when Virgin Atlantic released consistent and positive messaging surrounding a wide diversity of ESG efforts, before, during and after the crisis, media interest was much higher and overall sentiment balance was more equal.

Our research showed the media were much less interested in reporting on positive efforts after a negative story has emerged against a brand, whereas Virgin Atlantic’s consistent comms paid off and they maintained a ‘low and controlled’ negative reputation throughout the crisis.

2. Get your timing right

The age-old debate that the press release is ‘dead’ simply doesn’t apply in a PR crisis. Our research shows that when used right, proactive press releases can make a big impact on how your brand’s talked about in the press. However, timing is key — but starting too early can waste precious coverage opportunities.

Example:

Six months ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Coca-Cola, a FIFA partner, began releasing messaging around social solidarity to support human rights controversies related to the event. However, by the time it actually began, coverage of these campaigns had already died down but negative discussion around the ethics of the event (and those who supported it) had only just began. On the other hand, partners who chose to release messaging 2-3 weeks ahead of the first match were able to successfully dilute negative coverage throughout the event.

3. Diversify your messaging

Time and time again, Vuelio research shows that no matter the industry, brands that successfully survive reputational risks always amplify and diversify communications throughout the crisis. Rather than just responding to the situation at hand with explanations or solutions, they also push out stories related to other positive contributions that are totally unrelated to the crisis.

An ESG investment usually has the highest reputational pay-off, like Virgin Atlantic’s genderless uniforms or South Western Railway’s LGBTQI+ trains, both of which were announced doing an extended period of industrial action.

4. Consider relevant metrics

The metrics you use when monitoring day-to-day performance is much different in a PR crisis. For example, while having high coverage volumes may be a wider goal, this may not be as much of a priority when your reputation is at risk. Sentiment or prominence may be more important in this instance, so you can measure negative discussion and how visible your brand was within this coverage.

Create a separate set of KPIs that reflects the goals of your crisis strategy. Using this information, assess which metrics would be most effective for measuring performance during and after the crisis.

5. Enhance your reliability

Having a reliable reputation in the press is a sure-fire way to have more control over sentiment scores in a crisis. Research by the Vuelio Insights team shows that established and wide-reaching news outlets are more likely to share positive news stories by brands that maintain an honest and respected status, rather than those who tend to make false promises.

Awards and accreditations are to earn respect from large-scale publications, though working to accrue these extra reliability points throughout the year is going to be much more effective than waiting until crisis strikes.

Example:

In a recent study, the Vuelio Insights team found that brands which are part of the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) have a much stronger chance of getting international coverage around sustainability efforts. This is because SBTi is an external, reputable organisation that ensures holds companies accountable for climate commitments through a strategy-based target system.

6. Use your partnerships

When crisis strikes, partnerships are a goldmine for offering a large-scale and unique solution to the issue and doubling down on high-reaching positive coverage. Last year, Utilta achieved a national peak in positive coverage – higher than the likes of EDF and Octopus – due to a well-received partnership with Iceland. The collaboration offered several money-saving opportunities amidst the growing cost-of-living crisis, such as energy-saving workshops and leading research on cheaper cooking alternatives.

Partnerships are also an effective method for communicating large-scale industry change, a particularly useful method when enduring a long-term crisis. A recent example of how successful this can be was during the COP27 event last November, when seven CEOs of global pharma companies came together to announce ‘joint action’ on net zero healthcare.  This ended up being the most popular story ahead of and throughout the world-leading climate event and paved the way for months of positive media discussion towards ‘green pharma’ objectives.

Want to know more about this data or how media insights can support your PR and communications? Find out more.