Why communicators need to think like journalists when using AI

AI can help communicators move faster and focus on more creative tasks. But it can’t tell you when things feel off, and it doesn’t have the insight to tell you not to publish something riddled with automated errors.

During Ragan’s Writing and Content Strategy Virtual Conference, Stephanie Paterik, editor-in-chief of The Trade Desk, said that in a comms world that’s increasingly integrating AI workflows, communicators need to rely on journalistic instinct and figure out how to use automation as an assistant.

“The goal is to find that middle ground where you’re pulling in the best practices of journalism while also using AI as your co-pilot to make you smarter,” Paterik told the audience.

Just as in journalism, internal communicators need to ensure every piece of information they’re sharing with their colleagues is accurate. Paterik warned the audience that AI is prone to inaccuracies, and comms pros need to be diligent when editing AI output.