Alex Sevigny, an adjunct professor at McMaster University and a prominent advisor for Ragan’s Center for AI Strategy, suggests that the intersection of AI fluency and business acumen represents the next frontier for public relations and internal communications professionals. As organizations grapple with the complexities of digital transformation, those who can bridge the gap between technical execution and business objectives are increasingly being identified as candidates for senior leadership roles. The shift signifies a departure from the traditional view of communicators as "order takers" to a new reality where they serve as "order makers" and strategic architects of organizational culture.
The Evolution of AI in Communications: From Efficiency to Leadership
The journey of AI integration within the communications sector has been marked by distinct phases. Initially, the conversation centered on automation—how tools could draft press releases, generate social media captions, or summarize long reports. This "efficiency phase" focused on the quantitative output: doing more with less. However, as the technology matures, the focus has shifted to the qualitative impact of AI on the role of the practitioner.
According to Sevigny, AI’s greatest value lies in its ability to automate the "tedious" and "procedural" aspects of the job. By offloading these tasks, communicators can dedicate more time to the human-centric elements of the profession, such as stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and creative problem-solving. This transition is critical because it addresses the "blank page syndrome" that often hampers productivity. With AI providing a foundational "palette of options," the communicator’s role evolves into that of a curator and a strategist, refining raw data into a polished, resonant narrative.
A Chronology of the AI Integration in Public Relations
To understand the current state of the industry, it is essential to look at the timeline of AI’s adoption within professional communications:
- 2022: The Arrival of Generative AI: The public release of advanced large language models (LLMs) sparked a mixture of curiosity and existential dread within the PR industry. Initial discussions focused on copyright concerns and the potential for job displacement.
- 2023: The Experimentation Phase: Agencies and in-house teams began incorporating AI into daily workflows. This period saw the rise of "prompt engineering" as a sought-after skill, though many outputs remained unrefined and easily identifiable as machine-generated.
- 2024: The Strategic Pivot: Organizations began to realize that AI output alone was insufficient. The concept of "AI slop"—low-quality, unedited synthetic content—became a reputational risk. The industry started emphasizing the "human-in-the-loop" model, where AI acts as a co-pilot rather than an autopilot.
- 2025 and Beyond: The Leadership Era: AI fluency is becoming integrated with business literacy. Communicators are expected to understand not just how to use the tools, but how these tools impact the bottom line, organizational efficiency, and long-term brand equity.
Supporting Data: The Growing Demand for AI and Business Skills
The push toward AI-driven leadership is supported by broader labor market trends and industry research. A 2024 report by LinkedIn on the "Future of Work" highlighted that 70% of professionals believe AI will create more opportunities for career growth by allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks. Furthermore, data from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) suggests that practitioners who demonstrate a clear understanding of business fundamentals—such as financial reporting, market dynamics, and operational management—are 40% more likely to hold seats on executive boards.
A McKinsey Global Survey conducted in mid-2024 found that 65% of organizations are now regularly using generative AI in at least one business function, nearly double the percentage from the previous year. For communicators, this means their colleagues in finance, legal, and engineering are already speaking the language of AI. To remain relevant and influential, communicators must not only match this technical fluency but exceed it by applying it to the "human context" of the organization.
The Quality Gap: Distinguishing Strategy from Slop
One of the most significant challenges identified by Sevigny is the distinction between those who use AI as a crutch and those who use it as a medium. The former group often produces "unvarnished products"—content that lacks the nuance, tone, and strategic alignment required for high-stakes communication. This has led to an influx of generic content in the digital ecosystem, often referred to as "slop."
In contrast, the "stronger leaders" of the future are those who treat AI output as a rough draft or a "palette." In executive communications or internal messaging designed to build a healthy employment culture, the nuances of language are paramount. An AI can generate a list of company values, but it cannot understand the lived experience of the employees or the specific political climate within a boardroom. The "art" of communication remains a human endeavor, but it is an art that is now significantly enhanced by the speed and breadth of AI-generated insights.
Bridging the Technical-Human Divide
A unique advantage held by communications professionals is their ability to interpret and present information in a way that is accessible and resonant. While technical colleagues, such as engineers or data scientists, may possess deep knowledge of how an AI system works, they often lack the "relational context" required to explain the significance of that work to the public or the internal workforce.
Communicators act as the connective tissue between technical innovation and social acceptance. They understand the broader context—popular culture, political environments, and organizational sentiment—that technical experts might overlook. By mastering AI, communicators can take these complex technical developments and frame them within a narrative that drives business value and builds trust. This ability to synthesize technical data with human empathy is a cornerstone of modern leadership.
The Path to Senior Leadership: Integrating Business Literacy
The most profound implication of AI fluency for communicators is the potential for career advancement into the C-suite. Traditionally, the path to CEO or COO roles has been dominated by professionals from finance or operations backgrounds. However, the rise of AI is leveling the playing field.
Sevigny argues that a communicator who masters AI while simultaneously developing business literacy—specifically in areas like management, administration, finance, and accounting—becomes a formidable candidate for senior leadership. "They’re going to have an understanding of the broader human context and relational context that a lot of other, more technical folks may not have," Sevigny noted.
Business literacy for a communicator involves:
- Financial Fluency: Understanding balance sheets, P&L statements, and how communication strategies impact shareholder value.
- Operational Awareness: Knowing how different departments interact and how AI can streamline cross-functional collaboration.
- Strategic Analysis: Using AI to conduct market research and sentiment analysis that informs long-term business goals rather than just short-term media hits.
Future Implications and the "Order Maker" Mandate
As AI continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, the role of the communicator will continue to be redefined. The professionals who thrive will be those who embrace a mindset of continuous learning. When faced with a technical block or a problem they cannot solve, these leaders will use their creativity to find workarounds, consulting AI for solutions while maintaining a critical eye on the results.
The transition from "order taker" to "order maker" is perhaps the most critical shift for the industry. In the past, communicators were often brought in at the end of a project to "make it look good." In the AI era, they have the tools to be involved at the inception, using data-driven insights to shape the project itself.
The future of communications is not just about writing better or faster; it is about thinking more deeply and leading more effectively. By combining AI fluency with a robust understanding of business principles, communicators are positioning themselves as indispensable assets to their organizations. The competitive advantage lies in the synergy between machine efficiency and human wisdom—a combination that defines the next generation of corporate leadership. This evolution ensures that while AI handles the procedural, the communicator handles the exceptional, ultimately driving both organizational success and personal career longevity in an increasingly automated world.
