Embracing AI in Internal Communications: A Double-Edged Sword

29 April 2025 Reading Time: 5 minutes

by Anthony Monks:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is dominating workplace conversations and internal communications is no exception.

Promising faster workflows, richer insights and hyper-personalised content, AI offers incredible opportunities to transform how organisations connect with their people.

But with opportunity comes uncertainty. Will AI replace human interaction? Can we trust automated insights? What’s the real cost of cutting corners in comms?

According to the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC), more than 50% of internal comms professionals are already using AI in some capacity, showing that this shift is well underway.

The question now isn’t if we use it, but how!

In his latest piece, Anthony Monks, PR Director and Internal Communication Specialist at ITPR. explores how internal communicators can harness AI to deliver value without losing sight of what really matters: trust, transparency and the human connection at the heart of effective communication.

From Efficiency to Insight

AI’s ability to automate routine tasks like email distribution, meeting scheduling and sentiment analysis saves internal communicators significant time. But it also goes further. Generative AI tools can assist in drafting employee updates or FAQs, while chatbots are increasingly handling routine queries.

Machine learning algorithms can surface valuable insights about employee engagement, helping communicators target their messages more effectively. AI’s data-driven capabilities offer communicators a powerful way to improve outcomes, track performance, and better understand what employees need and want to hear.

Personalisation is another major advantage. AI can analyse employee data to deliver tailored messages based on location, job function or communication preferences. This enables more meaningful employee experiences and makes communications more relevant, timely and engaging.

For global businesses, AI-powered translation tools and automatic content summarisation help remove language barriers, delivering consistent messaging across borders.

Strengthening the Human Connection

Despite AI’s many advantages, human connection remains the cornerstone of effective internal communication.

Employees want to feel heard, valued and understood – and this cannot be fully achieved through automation alone. Tone, empathy and personal touch are vital, especially in moments of change, crisis or celebration.

Internal communicators should focus on using AI to enhance rather than replace human interaction. For example, AI can identify when teams need a morale boost, but it’s the communicator who crafts a heartfelt message or organises a personal touchpoint. AI can segment audiences, but it’s the human insight that ensures the message lands with meaning.

Training and Upskilling Opportunities

For internal communications teams, the rise of AI offers a valuable opportunity for professional development. Understanding how to work effectively with AI tools will become a core skill for the next generation of communicators. Organizations should invest in training that empowers internal comms teams to use AI ethically and strategically.

This includes learning how to interpret AI-generated insights, create content in collaboration with AI tools, and maintain oversight over automated systems. By upskilling in these areas, communicators can future-proof their careers while also delivering more strategic value to their organizations.

Elevating the Employee Voice Through Data

AI can significantly enhance how organizations listen to their people. Tools that analyze open-text feedback, monitor internal social media, or track survey engagement offer rich insights into employee sentiment.

This enables organizations to better understand what motivates employees, where communication is breaking down, and how initiatives are being received.

By bringing structure to unstructured data, AI helps internal communicators act on the employee voice with greater speed and accuracy. This not only builds trust but also shows that feedback is valued and used to drive change, creating a more responsive and inclusive workplace.

The Risks of Over-Reliance

Despite its potential, AI is not without risks. One of the most pressing concerns is the erosion of human touch. Internal communications is not just about delivering information – it’s about building trust, fostering connection and cultivating culture.

An over-reliance on AI-generated content or automated replies can make communications feel cold, impersonal or generic. There’s also the issue of bias and accuracy. AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. Poorly trained models can perpetuate existing inequalities or deliver irrelevant messages. Furthermore, generative AI tools can produce content that appears polished but lacks nuance or context, which is particularly dangerous when dealing with sensitive and emotional topics.

Privacy and Transparency

Data privacy is another critical concern. AI tools typically rely on employee data to personalize messaging or generate insights. But without proper safeguards, this can feel invasive. Internal communicators must ensure data is handled ethically and transparently. Employees should know how their information is being used and should always have the option to opt out.

AI Won’t Replace Internal Communicators

While some fear AI could replace internal communicators, the reality is more nuanced and ultimately, it’s in our hands. AI is a tool whose value depends entirely on how it’s used. It won’t replace the profession unless we let it.

It’s the passion, expertise and ethics of communication professionals that preserve the human voice in organizations. Those who educate stakeholders, uphold best practice, and guide responsible adoption will ensure AI enhances, not undermines, our work.

AI can automate repetitive tasks, giving communicators more time to focus on strategy, storytelling and culture. But this comes with shared responsibility. Practitioners, academics and industry leaders must work together to understand AI’s implications and ensure ethical use.

AI can deliver data, but only humans can interpret it with insight. It can summarize a message, but only we can deliver it with empathy. The future isn’t AI or people—it’s people shaping how AI supports deeper, more meaningful connections.

Striking the Right Balance

To harness AI’s benefits without losing the human touch, internal communicators must adopt a principled, balanced approach. AI should be used to support strategic goals, not as a shortcut or simply because it’s available. Purpose must guide implementation.

Ethical responsibility sits firmly with internal comms practitioners. It’s essential they uphold high standards of integrity, especially when introducing tools that influence how people receive and interpret information at work.

Organizations should build clear, evolving ethical frameworks for AI use in internal communications. These must prioritize fairness, inclusivity and transparency; ensuring all AI-driven activity respects employee rights, avoids bias and promotes trust.

Crucially, these frameworks should be shaped and upheld by internal communication professionals, who serve as the human safeguard against automation misuse. From reviewing AI-generated content to ensuring clarity in how tools are deployed, their role is vital in maintaining the profession’s ethical foundation.

By investing in practitioner training and embedding ethical thinking into every stage of AI adoption, organizations can ensure that innovation strengthens, rather than erodes, employee experience.

With great power comes great responsibility

AI has the potential to transform internal communications, but it’s how we choose to use it that will define its impact. The responsibility lies with internal comms professionals to ensure AI serves the needs of employees and enhances the integrity of the profession.

Ultimately, it’s people, not algorithms, that shape culture, build trust and drive engagement. AI can support more personalised, efficient and responsive communication, but only when guided by human intention and ethical oversight.

The future of internal communication isn’t a question of AI versus humans, it’s about people using AI purposefully to build stronger, more connected, and more inclusive workplaces.

The power remains firmly within our hands.

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Anthony Monks is a UK-based seasoned strategic communications professional with over 15 years’ experience across public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, including the NHS. A specialist in internal communication, he has led complex employee engagement strategies for national and international organizations.

He’s passionate about helping organizational leaders practice transparent, two-way communication and champions approaches that build long-term trust and help employees feel connected with the organizations they work for.

Written by: Editor