What NOT to Do in Internal Communications in the Age of AI

AI is moving faster than any of us can keep up with. Since generative AI hurtled into our world with ChatGPT nearly three years ago, most Communication Professionals are now using it to some degree.

With increased use, red flags are emerging. If there is any profession that should be setting the standard for strategic, creative and responsible use it is ours.

AI can make a good culture stronger or a weak one unravel faster. Here are my five biggest “don’ts” for Internal Comms in the age of AI, along with some practical “dos” to help you stay ahead.

1. Don’t Forget the Fundamentals

The speed AI produces content feels miraculous. But fast doesn’t mean good. We are already wading through AI ‘slop’, with one report predicting that by 2026, 90% of content online could be AI-generated.

Using AI to pump out more messages without strategy, audience insight or alignment with business priorities just creates more noise faster. Instead of providing clarity it overwhelms employees, dilutes trust and puts the organization at risk.

AI does not change the fundamentals of professional communication. Output is not impact. Strategic objectives cannot be reached by sending a well-structured message without typos.

Do: Always start with clear, measurable business objectives. Invest time in research and understanding your audiences before deciding on tactics and tools.

2. Don’t Stop at Writing

Since tools like MS Copilot and ChatGPT have started being introduced into workplaces, people are finding AI helpful for drafting messages and brainstorming ideas. Some comms teams are also experimenting with visuals, video and audio content as these capabilities rapidly advance.

Not many are using AI across other strategic areas that can elevate the role of comms. AI is hugely beneficial for research, planning, analytics, measurement, risk management, governance and future-focused skills.

Agentic AI is opening up even more possibilities (and risks), by transforming workflows and making decisions without human oversight. This means all employees will need to adapt to broader functions and skill sets.

Moving beyond content generation and tactics, Internal Communicators can use AI to free time for coaching leaders, shaping culture and delivering strategic insight.

Do: To get the most out of AI don’t treat it like a tool you go to for a task. Review your objectives and workflows, embedding AI into processes and systems end to end.

3. Don’t Leave the Human Out of The Loop

When handling sensitive or culture-shaping communication never leave the human out of the loop. This risks transactional, tone-deaf messages that spark backlash and mistrust from employees.

Experience shows leaders who take ownership of their messages, combining AI with authentic input, are much more likely to connect with employees.

Rather than replacing us, skilled humans plus AI can bring more empathy, judgment and nuance. AI is a tool and we choose how to use it—amplifying responsible and ethical behavior—or not!

With the right prompts and data AI can even bring more human perspective and inclusion. It can surface insights about culture, predict potential reactions and enable better targeting across stakeholder groups.

We’re now empowered to create more accessible and inclusive messages for visually or hearing-impaired, multilingual and neurodiverse audiences.

Do: Care for humans should always be the top priority. Use AI to draft but always add human voice, judgment and cultural awareness. Put safeguards in place to prevent AI flattening diversity of voice and perspectives.

Coach others to understand AI’s impact on people.

4. Don’t Ignore the Risks

We can all cite shocking examples where someone copied and sent out AI content without review. I’m confident most comms professionals would never do this.

Our function is well placed to lead ethical and responsible AI use, and many already are. Worryingly though, Gallagher’s State of the Sector report shows only 36% of organizations provide guidance on when and how to use AI in Internal Communication.

While adoption is climbing most employees lack policies, training or frameworks to guide responsible use. Without checks organizations are exposed to misinformation, reputational damage and compliance breaches.

With deepfakes and misinformation rising it is also harder to distinguish fact from fiction. Verification and transparency are now essential to our jobs, and we must be exemplars.

Do: As AI redesigns roles, Internal Comms has a responsibility to help employees feel part of the future and shape organizational readiness for AI in ethics, change communication and social license.

Check out these resources: IABC’s Ethical Use of AI and The Global Alliance for PR and Communication Management The Venice Pledge, June 2025

5. Don’t Get Left Behind

Don’t underestimate AI. The pace of change is staggering, with tech leaders predicting AGI could emerge in the 2030s. Only recently people dismissed it for clunky writing, bad math and six-fingered images. Reasoning models now see, hear and even mimic empathy.

In some studies, respondents rated AI as showing greater empathy than humans.

The next frontier is anticipatory, hyper-personalized, immersive communication where AI predicts, scales and simulates while communicators bring the strategy, empathy and ethics.

Avoiding AI because it feels overwhelming or failing to prepare employees for its impact leaves both teams and organizations vulnerable to risks like deepfakes, misinformation or bad data.

Do: Start small in low-risk areas to build confidence. Follow credible AI thinkers, experiment with different tools and support employees with clear, honest communication. Position yourself as a change agent not just a content creator.

AI brings career-defining opportunities for Internal Communicators. It can free us from repetitive tasks, sharpen our analysis and give us insights that were out of reach until now.

Those who thrive will be the ones who are aware of the risks, experiment wisely and remain committed to keeping people at the center.