Navigating Leadership in the Age of AI: The Strategic Role of Internal Communicators

by Angharad Planells, Institute for Future Studies of Leaders:

I’m going to kick this off by assuming you are all more than well-versed about how fast AI is evolving, how it probably/definitely/may be coming for all our jobs, and that everyone should either be using AI everywhere all at once already or they should take comfort in the fact than humans are still better writers and feelers than AI could ever be.

I’ll let you decide which camp you and your senior leaders sit in right now.

While I’m conscious to avoid adding further noise around AI now that it’s the topic du jour, my latest research with the Institute for Future Studies of Leaders (IFSL) has forced me to join the fray.

Myself and my co-author, IFSL CEO and political scientist Hilarie Owen, spent five months looking at what AI means specifically for political and business leaders, both now and in the future. We spoke to leaders in UK politics and business leaders across multiple sectors, and discovered a gap between where the public needs and expects them to be in terms of knowledge, understanding, and action on AI, and where, by their own admission, they currently are.

This gap is concerning in a multitude of ways, particularly in the context of public trust which we found is severely lacking on issues of AI safety and data security, economic growth, and its impact on democracy. What can leaders do in this perfect storm of innovation versus suspicion? And how can internal communicators guide leadership through this change of era?

Leadership in the AI era requires four things: courage, clarity, conscience, and caution. Courage to confront uncomfortable truths about job disruption and employee surveillance. Clarity in communicating both the promises and pitfalls of this technology. Conscience to ensure that any progress is shared, not hoarded, and that people are not sacrificed needlessly on the altar of profit. And caution, to allow for deliberate and thoughtful decisions rather than pushing for progress at any cost or at any speed.

AI is not a technology issue

As AI technologies become integral to organisational operations, internal communicators must once again position themselves as pivotal advisors, guiding leaders through the complexities of AI integration and working with internal stakeholders to ensure clarity across business functions. Leaders who view AI as purely a technology issue are in for a rude awakening. It’s a compliance issue. An HR issue. A training and development issue. A CSR and sustainability issue. And of course, a communications issue.

The strategic importance of internal communication in the AI era cannot be understated, and communicators need to be ready to effectively support leadership during this change of era.

Integrating AI necessitates a shift in leadership across every industry. Businesses cannot afford to make the same mistakes of the 70s and 80s with computers or the 2000s with social media by retrofitting AI to existing teams and ways of working. Collaborative and strategically transparent strategies across functions are needed to replace traditional top-down directives. However, that collaboration and transparency must still come from the top, we must not let CEOs make the mistake of handing over AI integration to the CTO or IT department. It’s technology sure, but not as we know it.

During this period of constant transition, internal communicators must encourage leaders to:

• Embrace continuous learning: Staying abreast of AI advancements is crucial. Leaders must engage in ongoing education to make informed decisions about AI implementation.
• Foster a safe culture of experimentation: Encouraging experimentation and accepting failure as a learning opportunity are essential for successful AI adoption.
• Prioritise ethical considerations: Ensuring AI systems are transparent, fair, and accountable is paramount to earning and maintaining trust among stakeholders at all levels.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration: Work with IT, HR, and other departments to ensure cohesive messaging and support structures.

In doing so, internal communicators play a critical role in facilitating these shifts by crafting messages that align with new, or in some cases enhanced, leadership expectations.

Internal comms as strategic AI advisors

Internal communicators are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between leadership and employees during AI transitions. As with any period of change management, particularly changes that are cultural and logistical, the earlier comms is involved, the better the overall outcomes.

So, what actions can be taken to facilitate this?

• Employee education: Develop training programmes to enhance AI literacy among employees, ensuring they understand and can effectively, safely, and compliantly use new technologies.
• Promote transparency: Communicating organisation’s AI strategies and decisions openly in order to build trust and reduce uncertainty. Don’t be surprised if a lot of employees are using AI at work regularly already, often because leaders haven’t communicated a definitive stance yet.
• Facilitate feedback loops: Creating channels for employees to voice concerns and suggestions, ensuring their perspectives inform the AI integration processes and creates the feeling that AI integration is being done with them, not to them.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? However, AI implementation raises ethical questions and emotional responses among employees that internal communicators must consider. These areas, at least in my experience, are why internal comms needs to be at the centre of situations like AI implementation, but not the sole engine of it. The goal of ICs should be to get everyone on the same page, remind them that every individual is working towards the same company goal in their own way, and bring people together in order to achieve that goal. To maintain morale and foster a sense of security, ICs need to get leadership comfortable talking about both their own feelings and those of employees, by:

• Highlighting ethical practices: Share information about your organisation’s commitment to ethical AI use, including measures to prevent bias and protect privacy.
• Acknowledge employee concerns: Recognise, address, and even validate fears related to job security and changes in work processes, while also providing reassurance and support. If jobs are at risk, then the strategic transparency mentioned earlier is important here.
• Promote empathy in leadership: Encourage leaders to engage with employees empathetically, understanding their experiences and perspectives during transitions. Some leaders will be uncomfortable with this, but studies have shown that people respond much better to empathetic leadership and leaders with emotional intelligence than those who are closed off.

Leveraging AI in communication strategies

Let’s get selfish for a moment, because AI can enhance the work of internal comms teams when utilised well, and if you’re a one-person comms team reading this then I know from experience that you need and deserve all the help you can get! As a communications purist I understand this might not be popular with some people, and I’ve grappled myself with the question of whether using AI in certain situations at work is ‘cheating’. However, by integrating AI into workflows, communicators can improve efficiency, responsiveness, and be more proactive. For example:

• Personalised messaging: AI can be used to tailor communications to different employee segments, increasing relevance and opportunities for engagement.
• Predictive analytics: Data can be analysed to anticipate employee needs and concerns, allowing for more proactive communication strategies.
• Automated content creation: Employ AI to generate routine communications, freeing up time for strategic planning and more personalised interactions. It can also be deployed whenever someone asks if you can ‘make it look pretty’!

Building a future-ready organisation

The opportunity is vast, but the implications still relatively unknown. As AI continues its jump from lab to legislation, internal communicators and the leaders they advise have a lot to consider. Keeping on top of current governance and policies that impact businesses, particularly those with a global presence, could easily become a full-time job as the situation evolves. Internal communicators must be the focal point for leaders to rely on more than ever, and bring other department heads and C-suite executives on board to ensure nothing slips through the cracks as the pace of change accelerates.

A pro-precaution stance on AI will enable communicators to develop comprehensive communications plans and scenario planning around AI implementation that will be key to ensuring readiness for all potential outcomes. Additionally, communicators must invest in their own professional development on both AI technologies and change management to enhance their advisory capabilities.

AI is not a bolt-on technology, and as it continues to reshape organisational landscapes, internal communicators serve as vital advisors to political and business leaders. By facilitating transparent, ethical, and empathetic communication, they can ensure that AI integration aligns with organisational values and supports employee wellbeing as well as productivity and profit. By embracing this strategic role, internal communicators can guide leaders through the complexities of the AI era, fostering a future-ready organisation equipped to thrive amidst technological change.

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The Institute for Future Studies of Leaders (IFSL) is an independent, non-partisan organisation that works to Inform, Advise, and Advocate political and business leaders worldwide on three areas – new technology, the climate crisis, and threats to democracy. The latest report from the Institute of Future Studies of Leaders, Ready…or not? Leaders in the Age of AI, is available to download for free from www.futureleadersinstitute.co.uk. You can also keep up with its latest work on LinkedIn.

 Angharad Planells is  “Co-author of ‘Ready or not? Leaders in the Age of AI’, an IFSL research report, and seasoned comms specialist amplifying impact for purpose-led organisations at apt marketing & PR in the UK.”

Written by: Editor