AI in Communications - Part 3: What EXACTLY Do You Think You Need AI For?

One question I find myself asking in almost every conversation about AI is this:

“What specifically do you need AI to solve?”

It sounds simple. But it usually slows the conversation down.

Because once you ask it, people realize they are not always talking about the same thing.

Some are thinking about speed. Some are thinking about cost. Some are thinking about creativity. Some are just trying to keep up.

Without clarity, it becomes very easy to apply the wrong tool to the wrong problem.

A simple framework

Before adopting any AI tool, it is worth answering:

• What problem are we solving?

• Is this about speed, cost, insight, or creativity?

• What would success actually look like?

• What is our risk tolerance?

These questions are not complex. But they create focus.

And in many cases, communications teams are the ones best positioned to help guide these conversations.

A common example: building a website

Let’s make this practical.

I’ve worked with all kinds of organizations on content. Cat shelters. Dentists. Speech therapists. Large corporate teams.

Different industries, but the same challenge shows up again and again:

“We need a website. We need content. We don’t have a writer.”

So the natural instinct becomes: “Let’s just use AI to create it.”

And look, I get it.

But a quick reality check:

• If your website doesn’t drive traffic, does it even exist?

• And just because you once built a MySpace page doesn’t mean you have a content strategy

  
  

AI can help. But it is not the strategy.

1. What problem are we solving?

At first glance, the answer seems obvious: “We need content.”

But that is rarely the real problem.

More often, it is:

• We are not clear on how to position ourselves

• Our messaging is inconsistent

• We do not know how to explain what we do

• We do not have time to sit down and think it through

AI can generate words. It cannot define what you stand for.

This is where communications comes in.

Even when using AI, someone still needs to:

• Define the message

• Clarify the audience

• Ensure consistency

• Ask the right questions before anything gets written

AI speeds things up. It does not replace the thinking.

2. Is this speed, cost, insight, or creativity?

Most teams will say: “This is about speed.”

And yes, that is part of it.

But it is usually a mix:

• Speed: We need to move faster

• Cost: We cannot hire a full-time writer

• Creativity: We need help getting started

That mix matters.

Because AI is very good at:

• Generating first drafts

• Offering structure

• Giving you a place to start

But without human input, the output often becomes... very average.

And here is the bigger risk.

If you rely only on AI-generated content, you are often creating content that is trained on other AI-influenced content.

In other words: You are not really writing for your audience. You are writing into the AI ecosystem.

That is a fast way to sound like everyone else.

A communications professional, using AI well, will:

• Ground content in real audience needs

• Shape prompts intentionally

• Edit for clarity and voice

• Make sure the content actually says something useful

3. What does success look like?

This is the question many teams skip.

Success is not just: “We launched the website.”

It is:

• Does the content clearly explain what you do?

• Does it reflect your voice?

• Does it resonate with your audience?

• Does it actually drive engagement or action?

If AI is part of the process, success might also include:

• Faster time to draft

• Less time spent staring at a blank page

• More efficient updates over time

But someone still has to define what “good” looks like.

AI can generate options. It does not define quality.

4. What is the risk tolerance?

This is where things get real.

Risks might include:

• Publishing unclear or inaccurate information

• Losing your voice

• Sounding like everyone else

• Putting out content that looks finished but says very little

There is also a discipline component.

Without clear guidance, teams can quickly create a lot of content that:

• Is repetitive

• Lacks depth

• Is not actually useful to customers

Some people call that “content.”

Others call it… something else.

A more thoughtful approach is to:

• Start with real customer questions

• Create content that is actually helpful

• Keep it evergreen where possible

• Revisit and improve over time

AI can support that process. But it should not replace it.

Where communications fits

Across all of this, one thing becomes clear: AI does not remove the need for communications.

Comms pros raise the bar for using AI tools.

Communications professionals can help:

• Facilitate the right conversations upfront

• Define the message before content is created

• Guide how AI is used

• Ensure consistency and quality

• Help teams stay focused on the audience, not just the output

The goal is not AI or communications.

It is using both, intentionally.

Final thought

AI can be incredibly useful. But only when it is applied to a clearly defined problem.

Before introducing a tool, it is worth asking: What exactly are we trying to solve?

Because once that answer is clear, the rest becomes much easier.

If your team is thinking through how to use AI for content, communications, or broader business goals, I’m always happy to have that conversation.

And if there are scenarios or questions you’d like to see explored in future posts, feel free to message me.