New research finds that AI adopters feel more valued and energized at work. By creating even stronger cultures of innovation, we can unlock the tremendous potential of this moment.
When generative AI burst into the public consciousness last year, the response was electric. Across the communications landscape, people were fascinated by the technology, but also fearful of what it could mean for our industry, our lives and our world. That’s what communications professionals told WE Communications when we surveyed them in 2023. People knew that massive change was ahead, but they still didn’t know what that looked like.
Today the picture is more clear.
WE Communications and USC Annenberg recently checked in with communications professionals to find out how AI has reshaped their industry and their work. We discovered they have a much more sophisticated understanding of the technology. It’s not a menace, or a miracle worker. It’s something more exciting: AI is a powerful tool that makes people feel more respected and more appreciated at work.
In our survey of more than 600 communications professionals, we discovered that people who use AI more frequently are 93% more likely to say they feel valued for the work they do.
We all know what happens when we feel more valued at work — we are also more excited and engaged. Feeling valued gives us energy. It emboldens us to explore, experiment and innovate. It gives us the confidence to say, “OK, this thing I tried didn’t quite work, but look at what I learned. Isn’t that great?”
Even more exciting, these AI enthusiasts aren’t limited to a handful of early adopters: Two-thirds of communicators say they use AI frequently, and 95% of them have a positive outlook on AI. What’s more, 70% of respondents believe AI helps them produce better work, and 73% say it allows them to work more quickly.
This is a tremendous opportunity for the communications industry. Communicators are ready to lead the AI revolution, and those developing their expertise are bringing tremendous value to their organizations. There is still uncertainty and curiosity about how to best deploy the technology, and that’s why it’s critical that communications leaders build cultures of innovation, experimentation and creativity to fuel this moment. People are hungry to learn; 73% want more AI training opportunities from their companies.
However, leaders must go beyond investing in technology and training. We need to invest our confidence. Communications professionals identified employer encouragement and the freedom to use AI tools as key success factors. Leaders should provide space for experimentation, innovation and even mistakes. We need to send a clear message: We trust you. You’ve got this! Now, go and be amazing! That’s how we unlock the full potential of AI, enhancing human intelligence.
Back when Pam Edstrom and I were building WE Communications, the general conversation about technology was incomplete and uninspired. Pam and I set out to tell the human stories about how technology transforms our lives, and that’s what our agency has been doing ever since.
Our tech roots have taught us that the stage we’re in now with AI — moving from adoption to application — is one of the most dynamic periods of innovation. Today, many of us are comfortable deploying tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT. That’s great, but we also need to remember that these platforms have only been around for about two years. Two years — that’s merely a blip! Think about where we were two years after the internet entered the public consciousness. We were listening to the beeps and hisses of our dial-up modems, thrilled to the sound of “You’ve got mail!”
We’ve come a long way, and we’re just getting started. We need to keep building on this progress by creating strong cultures of innovation and AI adoption, investing in knowledge leaders, and expanding use cases.
When I think about this moment we’re in now, I feel inspired — just a huge boost of excitement for what our industry can do. Each new application is a gift. I’ve never felt prouder to be part of the communications community. We’ve pushed past the fear and trepidation and opened the door to an exciting new future. AI might be the catalyst, but this transformation will always be powered by people.
Melissa Waggener Zorkin is global CEO and founder of WE Communications, one of the largest independent communications and PR agencies in the world. She is an inductee of the PRWeek Hall of Fame, the PRWeek Hall of Femme, and the ICCO Hall of Fame and is a member of the USC Annenberg Center for PR Board of Advisors.