Use of AI among communication professionals almost universal
No communications professional fears AI will take over job
Just about all corporate communication professionals use artificial intelligence (AI) for their job. About one in three even do so daily. The increased use increases the demand for training on the correct application of the tools. In addition, both communication consultants and companies in which in-house communication services work are adopting increasingly strict rules on the use of AI. These are the main conclusions from the second AI Survey conducted by C Square, the trade association of PR and corporate communication professionals, among more than 100 communication professionals. Another remarkable result: not a single respondent fears that AI will take over their jobs.
Eveline De Ridder, Vice-President C Square: ‘It is striking how quickly the integration of AI into our daily activity has progressed. What pleases me in this respect is the cautious way corporate communication professionals are handling the tools. They are very aware of privacy issues and possible biases or fake news. We have an important role to play in those issues.’
Artificial intelligence unthinkable in consultants and communication services
AI has made its way into communication land in no time. Communication conusltants are leading the pack in this respect. Among agencies, 100 per cent say they have already used AI; among in-house professionals, nine out of 10 have.
This is a marked increase compared to the previous survey (from 2023). Back then, 87 per cent of agency people replied that they had already used AI, compared to just under three-quarters (73%) among in- house colleagues.
AI already used
In-house: 2024 = 87% – 2023 = 73%
Agencies 2024 = 100% – 2023 = 87%
The regularity of using AI is also higher among consultants than among in-house professionals. Almost one in two respondents at agencies deploy it daily (47%) or several times a week (44%). Among in-house staff, it is about one in three (32% daily, 34% several times a week).
In-house
Frequency of use
Daily
2024 = 32% 2023 = 12%
Several times a week
2024 = 34% – 2023 = 27%
A few times a month
2024 = 29%- 2023 = 25%
Once a month
2024 = 3% – 2023 = 7%
Less than once a month
2024 = 3% – 2023 = 11%
Never
2024 = 0% – 2023 = 19%
Consultants
Frequency of use
2024= 47% – 2023 = 24%
Several times a week
2024 = 44% – 2023 = 35%
A few times a month
2024 = 22% – 2023= 22%
Once a month
2024 = 9% – 2023 = 2%
Less than once a month
2024 = 0% – 2023 = 2%
Never
2024 = 0% 2023= 0%
Content creation first and foremost
Content creation (prompting, 89%) leads the in-house list of tasks for which AI is most often deployed. Translations (87%) and research (71%) complete the podium.
Among agencies, translations (91%) rank first, followed by a triple ex aequo for content creation, research and ideation (74%). Agencies are also increasingly deploying AI for tasks such as strategy development (56%).
More restrictions and conditions for using AI
Interestingly, more and more employers are introducing restrictions on the use of AI. This is the case for half. It happens slightly more (56%) among agencies than among in-house professionals (47%). Last year, it was 43% (agencies) and 29% (in-house) respectively.
Restrictions on use
In-house 2024 = 47% – 2023 = 29%
Agencies 2024 = 56% – 2023 = 43%
The constraints are mainly about choice of application. On the corporate side, one in four (24%) say they have to use Microsoft’s Copilot. There, 14% also report a ban on using Chat GPT. Both in-house (61%) and at agencies (41%) are developing their own AI tools. If there is a restriction at agencies, it mainly concerns the mandatory use of the application developed by the agency.
Misleading information is biggest challenge when using AI
For all respondents, hallucinations (misleading information) and security risks are the biggest concerns when using AI. In third place is application knowledge.
Biggest challenges when using In house Agencies
Misleading information
2024 = 59% – 2023 = 70%
Security risks
2024 = 53% – 2023 = 67%
Knowledge of the application
2024 = 34% – 2023 = 52%
Other
2024 = 3% – 2023 =21%
Don’t know where to start
2024 = 9% – 2023 = 12%
Time
2024 = 3% – 2023 = 9%
More AI training at agencies than in-house
That agencies run more training courses on AI follows logically from their greater usage. Eight in 10 agency people (81%) state that their agency has already organised training, or is planning one. Among companies, the figure is seven in 10 (69%).
Most professionals are asking for training. There is a particular need for training on writing good prompts and the correct use of the right tool for the right task. Using AI in crisis communication is also on the wish list.
No fear that AI will take over the job
A remarkable conclusion closed the survey: none of the 108 respondents fears that AI will take over their jobs. However, international studies across various sectors suggest that AI will indeed have an impact on the job market. Based on US employment levels in 2021, an Accenture study shows that 46% of work hours in the media and communication sectors have a ‘higher potential for automation’. ‘As a sector, we do need to think about this,’ says Eveline De Ridder, Vice-President of C Square, especially in the cooperation between client and consultant, a field of tension is already arising there. I can therefore only encourage consultants to focus as much as possible on creating real added value for their clients, and to clients I ask to take into account the investments and brainpower involved – despite the use of AI. Perhaps there is a need to move away from a renumeration model based purely on time spent?’
About the survey
The survey ran through October 2024 and was facilitated by Outsource Communications. 108 communications professionals responded, split between in-house (54%), communications agencies (37%) and freelancers (9%).
