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.

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.

What does successful AI adoption actually look like inside a comms team? In this quick case study, a Center for AI Strategy advisor will share how they used AI to support the writing and execution of a major change comms campaign, from early planning through final messaging. You’ll learn what tools they used, how they approached drafting, refining and editing AI content, and what they’d do differently next time. We’ll cover:

• The Challenge: What problem this team needed to solve during a high-stakes change moment.
• The Strategy: How they introduced AI into their comms workflow, including tools used and how they approached messaging and planning.
• The Execution: Steps they used AI to draft, refine and finalize key campaign content, from first draft to leadership-ready messaging.
• The Results: What improved (think time saved, message consistency, engagement) and how they measured success so you can do the same.

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.

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. 

“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.

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.