AI Communications Virtual Conference


Wednesday, July 22, 2026
11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET

Don’t get left behind in the AI revolution.

  • Master the new Comms AI tech stack
  • Create custom GPTs
  • Build agentic workflows
  • Improve content strategy
  • Develop AI governance
  • Handle deepfakes and hallucinations
  • Measure AI ROI

AI has many communicators worried about job security. Others see AI as a career accelerator. The real question is: Who will lead, and who will get left behind? According to Ragan’s Center for AI Strategy research, 98% of comms teams are already using AI—but fewer than 20% have integrated it into strategy or workflows.

That gap represents both a risk and a massive opportunity.

Join this half-day virtual event on Wednesday, July 22, to upskill in AI and create higher-impact results for your organization. You’ll learn how to harness AI in ways that strengthen, not replace, your expertise, how to use the top LLMs and their latest features, build custom GPTs and agents to accelerate research and sharpen your content strategy, help drive governance and show true AI ROI.

Walk away with practical frameworks, use cases and the confidence to integrate AI into your work.

PLUS: You’ll receive a Ragan Certificate of Completion and clear roadmap to level up your comms team.

Top reasons to attend this virtual conference

  • You’ll learn from and interact with the top AI experts.
  • You'll get essential takeaways you can apply right away.
  • You'll get to connect with fellow communicators and share knowledge.
  • You'll be able to watch from anywhere.
  • You'll receive all presentation slides and handouts.
  • You'll earn a Ragan Certificate of Completion.
  • You'll get access to the on-demand recording for 12 months.

Secure your spot today!

Agenda

PART 1: Foundations – How AI is Transforming Comms
11:00–11:05 a.m.
Opening Remarks: Reframing Comms Opportunities in the Age of AI

We’ll be analyzing the latest research around AI adoption and opportunities for communicators, tapping into exclusive insights and trends from Ragan research and other trusted sources.

11:05–11:30 a.m.
The Comms AI Tech Stack: Tools, Trends and AI Literacy Primer

Most communicators don’t get to choose their enterprise AI platform. But they do need to know how to get the most from it, where it falls short and which adjacent tools are worth investing in. This session breaks down the modern comms AI stack, from ChatGPT Enterprise, Copilot, Claude and Gemini to research, design and emerging media tools. You’ll learn how to build a smarter, more practical stack for real comms workflows instead of chasing every shiny new app. We’ll cover:

  • AI Literacy Primer: Key terms, tools and trends every communicator should understand (from LLMs and copilots to agents and enterprise AI) so you can speak leadership’s language. 
  • Enterprise Edge: How to get more value from ChatGPT Enterprise, Copilot, Claude or Gemini for everyday comms work.
  • Comms Workflow Fit: How to build a simple comms stack for research, drafting, editing, visuals and repurposing content.
  • Test or Toss: Strategies to decide which newer tools (including AI video, avatars and experimental apps) are worth piloting now versus watching from the sidelines.
Vice President, Product & Technology, People Management and Communications
EIS
Read bio
11:30–11:55 a.m.
Essential Prompt Frameworks for Comms: Get Better Results, Faster

You’re not alone if you’re already using AI but aren’t getting consistently strong results. Vague prompts lead to generic outputs with more editing than expected. Without a clear approach, AI can feel unpredictable or underwhelming. Join us for practical prompt frameworks designed specifically for your comms work. You’ll learn how to structure prompts for better clarity and control so you can move faster, reduce revisions and increase conversions. We’ll cover:

  • Prompt Frameworks: How to structure prompts using role, task, context and format (RTCF) frameworks for clearer, more relevant outputs.
  • Output Control: Ways to guide tone, audience and channel so AI-generated content matches your comms needs.
  • Refinement Loop: Steps to iterate, edit and improve outputs without starting from scratch.
  • Real Use Cases: How to apply prompt frameworks to internal updates, exec comms, media responses and social content.
Head of Communications
M&T Commercial Banking
Read bio
Executive Vice President, AI Client Strategy and Implemention
Burson
Read bio
11:55 a.m.—12:20 pm.
AI Writing and Editing: Sharpening AI Content and Storytelling

AI can speed up writing. But it can also produce content that feels generic, off-brand or overly polished in the wrong ways. Many communicators struggle to balance efficiency with quality, voice and strategic messaging. We’ll discuss how to use AI as a co-writer and partner, not as a drafting tool. You’ll learn how to shape stronger narratives, maintain voice and elevate your content while still saving time. The focus is on practical ways to improve clarity, tone and impact across internal and external comms alike. We’ll cover:

  • Draft Smarter: How to use AI to generate stronger first drafts for emails, executive messages, crisis statements, internal updates and social posts.
  • Voice and Consistency: Ways to guide tone, style and brand voice by using clear prompts and uploading style guides, voice docs and source materials into tools like Projects.
  • Stronger Narratives: How to edit and shape AI-generated content into clearer more compelling stories that actually move your audience.
  • Editorial Pushback: How to challenge AI myths in reviews (including the em-dash debate), handle “AI-edited” feedback from stakeholders and defend strong writing choices.
Director, Master of Arts in Digital Communication
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
Read bio
12:20–12:25 p.m.
Center for AI Strategy Flash 5
What’s Your AI Readiness Score? How to Turn Gaps into Leadership Action

Center for AI Strategy research shows that 75% of comms teams use AI regularly but only 20% have embedded it into team workflows and org strategy. In this lightning session, see how the Center’s free AI Team Readiness Assessment created with Phyusion helps comms teams benchmark AI maturity, spot adoption gaps and prioritize next steps. You’ll also see how to turn findings into a clearer case for training, governance, workflow support and a more strategic comms role in AI adoption. We’ll cover:

  • Readiness Score: How to benchmark your team’s current AI maturity and adoption level.
  • Adoption Gaps: How to spot weaknesses in skills, governances, workflows and implementation.
  • Next Moves: How to prioritize improvements that move comms from AI experimentation to more strategic AI leadership.
  • Leadership Case: How to translate assessment results into a clearer ask for training, tools, policies and exec support.
Founder and Chief Strategist
Phyusion
Read bio
12:25–12:40 p.m.
Recharge Break
PART 2: Application – Building AI-Powered Workflows
12:40–1:05 p.m.
AI Content Strategy & GEO: Smarter Planning, Audits and AI Search Essentials

Content demands are growing, but many teams lack a clear strategy for what to create, where to focus and what’s working. At the same time, AI is changing how content is discovered, summarized and surfaced through generative search. Strengthen your content strategy from the ground up by using AI. You’ll learn how to audit existing content, identify gaps and plan more effectively, all while also understanding how GEO is reshaping visibility and what it means for your content moving forward. We’ll cover:

  • Content Audits: How to use AI to evaluate existing content, identify gaps and spot opportunities across your internal and external channels.
  • Plan with Purpose: Smarter ways to build content strategies, themes and calendars aligned to audience needs and business goals.
  • Audience Insights: How to use AI to uncover key questions, behaviors and information needs across internal and external audiences.
  • GEO Foundations: What generative search means for communicators (yes, even internal comms teams) and simple steps to make your content more visible, useful and discoverable.
Senior AI Marketing Strategist and AI for Strategic Communications Professor
University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications
Read bio
1:05–1:30 p.m.
Build a Custom GPT for Your Comms Team: Live Demo and Use Cases

If you’ve tried to “customize” AI by just prompting harder, you’ve likely hit a wall. The real change happens when you move from prompting to building. That means creating AI assistants that actually understand your team, your content and your workflows. Discover how to build custom GPTs using tools like ChatGPT (Projects/GPTs) or Copilot Studio. You’ll also see how other teams already using them to streamline PR and comms work. We’ll cover:

  • Platform Setup: How to build in ChatGPT (Custom GPTs/Projects) vs. Copilot Studio—and what each is best for in a comms environment.
  • Instruction Design: How to write system instructions that lock in role, tone, guardrails and use cases.
  • Knowledge Uploads: Ways to structure and upload style guides, messaging docs, FAQs and past content so your GPT actually “knows” your org.
  • Case Studies: See two to three custom GPTs in action, including a media list builder, press release generator and monitoring assistant, and hear what improved (speed, quality, consistency and results).
AI & Automation Lead, Global Communications
Cisco Systems
Read bio
1:30–1:55 p.m.
AI Measurement and Insights: What’s Working and What Leaders REALLY Care About

AI can speed up content and processes, but it doesn’t automatically prove impact. Many comms teams are still reporting on outputs and efficiencies instead of outcomes. Or they’re struggling to connect AI-driven work to real business results. In this candid panel, senior comms execs share how they’re actually measuring AI’s impact across content, channels and teams. They’ll dig into what’s working, what’s not and what leadership is really paying attention to (and the dashboards behind it). We’ll cover:

  • What Leaders Ask For: The AI metrics and insights execs actually want and where comms teams fall short (hint: it’s all about better content and results, not faster outputs).
  • Predictive Powers: How AI is being used to forecast engagement, pinpoint risks and anticipate sentiment shifts before they escalate into crises.
  • What’s Working (and What’s Not): Real examples of AI-driven measurement across content, campaigns and employee comms… plus where the data still falls short. 
  • Proving ROI: How AI can help connect comms efforts to business outcomes, justify your team’s AI usage and show impact beyond vanity metrics. 
Director of Communications
Thrive Market
Read bio
1:55–2:10 p.m.
Recharge Break
PART 3: What’s Next – Scale and Lead
2:10–2:35 p.m.
Agentic AI Frameworks and The Future of Comms: What to Automate Now

“Agentic AI” is quickly becoming the next phase of how work gets done. But it can feel abstract or overhyped. So what does it actually look like in practice, and where does it fit into your day-to-day work? We’ll break down agentic workflows and how they’re starting to show up in comms, from multi-step research and drafting to automated content flows. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of where this is going and how to start experimenting without overcomplicating your workflow. We’ll cover:

  • Agentic FAQ: What “agentic AI” actually means beyond the buzzword and how it differs dramatically from what you just learned about custom GPTs.
  • Workflow Design: How to think in steps and sequences (research > draft > refine > distribute) and where agents can support or automate comms tasks.
  • Use Cases That Work: Real examples of agentic workflows like media monitoring > exec-ready briefings > holding statements > message cascades across email, intranets and social.
  • Start Small: Practical ways to test agentic workflows using tools you already have (ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude) without needing a full rebuild.
Head of Audience & Analytics
NowThis
Read bio
2:35–3:10 p.m.
PANEL
Managing AI Risks and Governance: Deepfakes, Brand Trust and Responsible AI

AI isn’t just changing how content is created. It’s also raising new risks that communicators are now expected to manage—from deepfakes and synthetic media to unchecked AI outputs, regulatory uncertainty and governance gridlock. Explore what these risks look like in practice, how responsible AI principles can guide better decisions and what comms should do when issues arise. We’ll cover:

  • Risk Reality: What deepfakes, hallucinations, misinformation, synthetic media and AI brand risks actually look like inside real organizations.
  • Governance in Action: How to build AI policies, disclosure standards, approval workflows and responsible-use guardrails—plus the top governance blind spots and  how to handle them.
  • Crisis Response: How to respond when deepfakes, misinformation, governance gridlock or regulatory uncertainty create reputational, legal or internal risk.
  • Comms as Stewards: The communicator’s role in protecting brand trust, guiding responsible AI use and applying an “outcome architecture” mindset so AI adoption stays tied to clear goals, measurable progress and enterprise-wide impact.
Principal, Responsible AI, Public Policy
Amazon Web Services
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Author, "Scaling Responsible AI"
AI Leadership Institute
Read bio
Chief Technology Officer and Head of AI
Ruder Finn
Read bio
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Expera Consulting
Read bio
3:10–3:30 p.m.
FIRESIDE
Use-Case Capstone: Building an AI Chief of Staff for You (or Your Executives)

You’ve seen the tools, frameworks and workflows. Now see what it looks like when it all comes together. In this fireside, a top CCO in a highly regulated industry shares how he built a “virtual chief of staff”—a custom AI trained on his voice, priorities and decision-making approach. Part demo, part discussion, this session shows how prompting, content strategy and custom GPTs can combine into something far more powerful: a strategic partner that helps you think, write and lead at a higher level. We’ll cover:

  • The Concept: What a “virtual chief of staff” actually is and how it evolves beyond a typical custom GPT or agent.
  • Capstone Build: How it brings together prompts, source materials, workflows and decision logic into a single system. 
  • Demo in Action: How it performs in real scenarios, supporting  executive messaging, prioritization and decision-making.
  • The Career Shift: What this unlocks for you—how communicators can move from content creators to strategic advisors by building and using systems like this.
Advisor, Ragan's Center for AI Strategy
Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, New York Life
Read bio
3:30 p.m.
Your AI Leadership Roadmap: 5 Strategic Takeaways

We’ll officially close with clear, practical takeaways to help you apply what you learned right away.

Speakers

Chief Technology Officer and Head of AI
Ruder Finn
Read bio
AI & Automation Lead, Global Communications
Cisco Systems
Read bio
Author, "Scaling Responsible AI"
AI Leadership Institute
Read bio
Executive Vice President, AI Client Strategy and Implemention
Burson
Read bio

Senior AI Marketing Strategist and AI for Strategic Communications Professor
University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications
Read bio
Head of Audience & Analytics
NowThis
Read bio
Director of Communications
Thrive Market
Read bio
Director, Master of Arts in Digital Communication
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
Read bio

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Expera Consulting
Read bio
Principal, Responsible AI, Public Policy
Amazon Web Services
Read bio
Advisor, Ragan's Center for AI Strategy
Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, New York Life
Read bio
Founder and Chief Strategist
Phyusion
Read bio

Vice President, Product & Technology, People Management and Communications
EIS
Read bio
Head of Communications
M&T Commercial Banking
Read bio

 

Interested in speaking?

Please reach out to Senior Director of Event Programming
Alyssa Smith.

Top things you’ll learn at this conference:

  • Master the Comms AI Tech Stack: Choose and use the top enterprise AI tools like Copilot, ChatGPT Enterprise, Gemini, custom GPTs and agents for real comms workflows.
  • Prompt Like a Pro: Apply new, practical frameworks to create better internal updates, exec messages, media responses, crisis responses, social posts and more.
  • Edit AI Copy with Confidence: Improve AI-generated drafts for clarity, storytelling and brand fit without losing your voice or authenticity.
  • Build Smarter Content Strategies: Use AI for better content audits, audience insights, editorial calendars and GEO so your content is more useful and findable.
  • Create Custom GPTs and Agents: Build AI assistants trained on your style guides, messaging docs, FAQS and past content to support repeatable comms work.
  • Prove AI’s Business Impact: Connect your AI use to better content, stronger insights, higher engagement trends and the outcomes your execs really care about.
  • Prepare for AI Risks: Manage deepfakes, hallucinations, synthetic media, governance, disclosure standards and brand-protection challenges.

 

Pricing
Register now for Ragan's AI Communications Virtual Conference:

Regular Rates
Virtual Conference Registration $1,699
Nonprofit/Gov/Edu Event Registration $1,599
Virtual Conference Ragan Insider Member $1,549

All attendees will receive the recording of the event.


Group Discounts

Would you and your team like to attend? Group pricing for 3 or more is available when going through the registration process!

RAGAN COUNCIL MEMBER DISCOUNTS

Membership includes free registration passes. Contact Shallon Blackburn for more information on becoming a member.
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RAGAN INSIDER DISCOUNTS

Insiders save on all Ragan events. Not a Ragan Insider? You can become one during registration for this event!

Phone registrations: please contact our customer service team at 800-878-5331 or [email protected]

BONUS MATERIALS
  • AI Readiness Checklist
  • AI in Action: Prompts for Comms Leaders
  • GenAI in PR and Media Relations
  • AI for Content Marketing Blueprint
  • Chat GPT Prompt Flowchart

Sponsors & Partners

Want to become a sponsor? Get in touch with our team to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

Let's Partner!

Who Should Attend?

This virtual conference experience is ideal for business leaders and professionals involved in:

  • AI
  • Corporate Communications
  • Employee Engagement & Culture
  • Content Strategy & Creation
  • Public Affairs
  • Crisis Communications
  • Public Relations
  • Reputation Management
  • Business Leadership
  • Brand Management
  • Executive Communications
  • Issues Management
  • Marketing
  • Media Relations
  • Social Media
  • Brand Storytelling
  • Corporate Affairs
  • Legal

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WHO ATTENDS

Communications professionals from these organizations have attended Ragan’s AI events:

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AI Communications Virtual Conference Certificate

Get Recognized!

Each registration comes with a personalized "AI Communications Virtual Conference" Certificate of Completion for attending.

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