5 minute read

EMBRACING AI WITH PURPOSE

Value-aligned use cases in regulatory communications

Collette Deschenes

Scroll through your LinkedIn feed. Can you spot any AI-generated content? Maybe it's the subtle clues, like em dashes or a rocket ship emoji. Or maybe you can’t tell that your favourite follow is using ChatGPT to share

Perhaps you haven’t embarked on a purposeful AI discovery journey. Even so, you’re likely using many tools day-to-day like Buffer, Grammarly and Outlook that have AI features built in. Simply put, AI is becoming more and more entrenched in our professional and personal lives.

Regardless of how AI-savvy you are, the rapid pace of change is transforming communications across the board. Staying informed about the tools available, understanding their implications, and learning how they can enhance or impact our work in communications is essential. Like any digital transformation, it’s about more than just using tools; it’s also about understanding their role in shaping the way we connect and communicate with individuals and communities.

Looking back as we move forward with AI

Reflecting on digital transformation, I’m reminded of my first role in regulatory communications, when the sector was grappling with whether to embrace social media as a way to engage key audiences. Back then, platforms like Instagram were brand new. It was still a space for sharing snapshots of pets and your latest meals, far from being tools at the time to share regulatory updates or educate the public about a regulator’s role.

I recall how we began drafting “social media releases,” as organizations adapted to tailor traditional press releases to align with the emerging social media landscape and shift in how we all consumed media. The rise of social media was a transformative time of rapid change that required regulators to rethink how they engaged with stakeholders and adapt to constantly evolving expectations.

To this day, as we all know very well, social media continues to evolve moment by moment at a relentless pace. As communicators and regulators, we need to be proactive, agile and strategic in how we engage. It’s essential to stay connected with how regulated professionals, the public and other key partners want to be communicated with. Which platforms are they actively using? Should we still be engaging on X? Are they reading our emails? Would SMS updates be more effective? Should we explore an AI-chatbot? These are frequent questions underlying how we are constantly adapting and aiming to refine our approaches.

The evolution of AI feels like a similar turning point, though on an even larger scale with larger impacts. Like the rise of social media, it requires curiosity, critical thinking, and strategic planning so AI is used effectively and responsibly.

Exploring AI possibilities with curiosity

Curiosity is an important first step in exploring AI’s ever-growing potential in communications. It can begin by asking yourself how AI might help address a challenge your organization faces in regulatory communications.

There are countless possibilities for AI adoption so the process can feel overwhelming. To focus your efforts, as with all strategic communications, reflect on your organizational values and strategic goals.

Perhaps your organization values inclusivity and enhancing partnerships and ensuring meaningful engagement is a current strategic goal. The tone of your communication is essential. It helps build trust and your messaging should consistently reflect these priorities and reinforce your organization’s commitment to inclusivity and collaboration.

An AI use case in this context could be utilizing generative AI to ensure your tone and messaging align with your organization’s values and broader goals. You could aim to utilize AI to:

• Enhance accessibility ensuring the content is accessible to your organization’s diverse audiences and by identifying and simplifying regulatory jargon in your copy or complex terms.

• Enhance readability and clarity of your messaging by identifying passive voice, lengthy paragraphs and run-on sentences. AI tools can offer actionable recommendations to make your organization’s messaging more concise, engaging, and digestible for your key audiences.

Ensure consistency in tone and alignment with your organization’s voice. AI can analyze and align content with your organization’s established tone, ensuring messaging reflects your values.

Ultimately, identifying the right AI use case isn't just about improving efficiency. It’s about enhancing and complementing your existing communications efforts. Thoughtfully aligning AI with your organization’s goals and values helps ensure AI supports you strategically.

Moving beyond messaging

Learning lessons from past digital transformations, asking the right questions, and identifying AI use cases that align with your organization's goals are just the tip of the iceberg. This conversation goes well beyond content creation and enhancing our messaging as there are many challenges and opportunities that require thoughtful exploration. www.mdrstrategy.ca

If you’re interested in delving deeper into the intersection of AI, regulation, and communications, join me at MDR's AI in Regulation Conference on February 11, 2025. I’ll be facilitating a session with Melissa Peneycad, MDR’s director of public engagement, where we’ll share insights on integrating AI to maximize impact in regulatory communications. We’ll dive into additional AI use cases that enhance regulatory communications and highlight strategies to adopt AI while maintaining trust and transparency.

Let’s continue the conversation.

Are you ready to enhance your regulatory communications?

MDR’s regulatory communications expertise can support your organization in building trust, improving stakeholder relationships, and achieving your communication goals.

Join other regulators who choose the MDR solution to deliver their messages with meaning and purpose. Contact us at info@mdrstrategy.ca.

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