The CommunicAItor's Digest: Edition 8
Helping you stay up-to-date with the impact of AI on communications
“The details are the design”, a poster at work used to say, and no truer word can be said about a pretty big detail this week. Both Midjourney and ChatGPT have released updates which promise to make it significantly easier to add accurate letters or words into a design (as above). This is massive win for anyone who’s spent too long trying to add specific details to a design or a professional who needs to add a degree of personalization. Enjoy!
Content Creation
CapCut’s AI Editor: Fast, Slick, and Creator-Friendly
CapCut's AI-powered video editor is designed for creators who want to produce pro-level video content without getting lost in a timeline. Packed with tools like auto-subtitling, smart background removal, and a giant royalty-free media library, it’s bridging the gap between ease of use and serious creative output. This signals a growing trend: AI tools tailored for creators—not coders. source
Runway-Ready Content: How AI Is Tailoring Fashion’s Next Narrative
From fast fashion to fast content, AI is helping fashion brands automate content creation while injecting storytelling flair. Think AI-generated product descriptions, personalized ads, and virtual stylists. The TBS News piece spotlights how fashion players are leaning into generative content to stay culturally relevant without sacrificing speed. source
China Pushes AI Creativity—With a Cultural Twist
The People's Daily outlines how China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism is backing a “National AI + Culture” initiative. The goal? To develop large AI models specifically trained on Chinese culture, values, and creative heritage. This isn’t just about AI art—it’s about strategic soft power, ensuring China's voice doesn’t get drowned out in a Western-trained model world. source
Midjourney's Plot Twist: Now They're Teaching AI to Write Like Humans
Known for trippy visuals, Midjourney is now investing in text-based creativity. Their research with NYU shows that tweaking reward models (like DDPO and DORPO) makes AI-generated writing measurably more original. It’s a low-key shot across OpenAI’s bow—and a hint that AI writing may soon feel a whole lot less robotic. source
Audiences Are Skeptical of Fully AI-Generated Content—For Now
A Variety VIP+ survey reveals 75% of consumers are hesitant about creative content made solely by AI. Trust, authenticity, and emotional depth still matter. For brands, this means AI can be a co-creator—but not yet the lead. The takeaway: keep the human in the loop or risk a disconnect. source
AI and Email Marketing: The Silent Power Couple
Marketers are quietly leaning into AI to supercharge email campaigns—boosting open rates with optimized subject lines, personalized offers, and predictive timing. The article breaks down how AI is turning inboxes into engagement engines, but warns that not all AI-powered platforms are created equal. Results still depend on smart strategy, not just shiny tools. source
Creator Contracts Are Getting an AI Clause—Here’s Why
AI-generated content is creating new legal headaches for brands and influencers alike. Digiday dives into how contracts are evolving to protect brands from copyright risks when creators use tools like Midjourney or ChatGPT. This is part of a broader shift: legal language is now racing to catch up with creative tech. source
OpenAI’s GPT-4o Update: Multimodal Just Got Real
The internet buzzed when OpenAI dropped GPT-4o—its new model that can process text, audio, and images in real time. It’s the company’s most fluid, humanlike interaction model yet, with faster responses and deeply integrated image generation. For content teams, this means faster creative workflows, richer multimedia, and a fresh bar for user experience. source
Influencers
AI Influencers on Instagram: Meet the CGI Trendsetters
The age of AI influencers is officially here. From Brazil’s Lu do Magalu (7M+ followers) to the infamous Lil Miquela, these virtual personalities are redefining influencer marketing. Created using tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, they offer brands high consistency, zero drama, and 24/7 availability—something human influencers can’t promise. They’re also cheaper in the long run. The trade-off? Less authenticity and limited emotional resonance. But for certain campaigns, especially those that prioritize control and scale, AI influencers are proving more than just a gimmick. source
Google’s Canvas AI: The New Creative Wingman for Influencers
Google's Gemini Canvas AI workspace is stepping in as the ultimate assistant for influencer marketers. It drafts outreach messages, spins up creative concepts, codes microsites, and even turns briefs into podcast-style audio—all within one interface. Canvas isn’t just another AI toy; it’s a productivity engine that helps creators and marketers scale high-touch storytelling with less legwork. Expect to see influencer strategies powered by AI that feels (almost) human. source
How Much Do Influencers Really Cost in 2025? Spoiler: It Depends
Influencer pricing is anything but standard in 2025. Rates vary wildly depending on platform (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), follower count, content format, exclusivity, and usage rights. Nano-influencers might charge $100 per post, while macro-level creators can command $10K+. The good news? Brands can still run campaigns under $10K—especially if they work with micro-creators. Transparency tools like calculators and benchmark reports help both sides find fair value in a murky market. source
Instagram’s Dark AI Underbelly: Engagement at Any Cost
AI-generated content on Instagram has taken a disturbing turn. A 404 Media investigation reveals an explosion of hyper-viral, algorithm-hacking posts featuring shockingly inappropriate, racist, and grotesque imagery—all created by AI for clicks, engagement, and ad revenue. It’s the monetization of “what the hell did I just watch?” content, and it’s working—because engagement signals are blind to ethics. This raises urgent questions about content moderation, platform responsibility, and just how far creators (and algorithms) will go for attention. source
Executive Communications
No Trust in the Boss? No Trust in the Bot.
According to Harvard Business Review, employees are unlikely to trust AI systems unless they already trust their leaders. As companies roll out AI tools for decision-making and workflow management, a lack of leadership transparency or empathy could tank adoption. This isn’t just about technology—it’s about culture. Execs must build credibility first if they want their teams to follow AI's lead. source
Internal Communications
How Hershey Rebuilt Internal Comms Like a Candy Factory—Layer by Layer
Hershey’s Ashleigh Pollart shares how the iconic brand transformed its internal communications for a modern, multi-category snacking company. The strategy? Streamlined all-employee meetings, podcast-style updates, buzz-worthy acronym explainers (literally), and C-suite “Ask Me Anything” livestreams. The goal is simple: boost transparency, reduce noise, and create space for connection in a company that's growing fast and changing faster. Hershey’s playbook offers a masterclass in turning employee feedback into high-impact action. source
Walmart’s People-Led, Tech-Powered Approach to AI at Work
Walmart’s Chief People Officer Donna Morris sees AI not as a headcount threat but as a tool for boosting productivity and human potential. From AI assistants helping with performance reviews to real-time language translation on the front lines, Walmart is baking intelligent tools into its culture. The message: AI isn’t replacing people—it’s amplifying them. But it only works if communication stays front and center. Leaders must frame these tools around core values, not just KPIs. source
The Change Comms Survival Kit: Equip Managers Before the Storm Hits
This Ragan guide lays out the playbook for handling organizational change with clarity and confidence. From timelines and key message docs to Q&A sheets and manager toolkits, communicators are encouraged to arm frontline leaders with the materials—and training—they need before, not after, change rolls out. The message is clear: employees don’t want corporate spin, they want straight talk from someone they trust. And that trust starts with equipping managers to communicate like pros. source
Oracle's New Internal Comms Engine: From HR Noise to Meaningful Moments
Oracle has upgraded its Cloud HCM platform with new employee communication and event management features designed to drive real engagement—not just email open rates. The platform helps HR and team leads tailor messages and create events that connect people to purpose, while real-time analytics provide insights on what’s working. Employees can now even create peer-led events, transforming internal comms from top-down broadcasts into culture-building experiences. It’s a shift from compliance to connection. source
AI Is Fueling the Great In-Housing Boom
Across Asia-Pacific, brands like Zalora, Gojek, and Paragon are ditching agency dependence in favor of in-house teams supercharged by AI. Why? Creative control, agility, and deeper brand understanding. From predictive content generation to automating production workflows, AI is making it easier for in-house teams to take on strategic and executional work once reserved for agencies. The most at-risk players? Mid-tier digital agencies. This is more than a shift in staffing—it’s a systemic reordering of how marketing work gets done. source
Investor Relations
Wall Street’s New Compliance Officer? AI.
Facing a tidal wave of regulatory scrutiny, nearly one-third of financial firms have either implemented or plan to adopt AI-powered communications compliance tools. As the SEC doles out record fines—$8B in 2024 alone—firms are moving away from manual keyword-based surveillance to smarter systems that cut through noise and surface real risk. AI helps reduce false positives and improve response speed but concerns about data transparency and explainability still linger. Bottom line: regulators are watching, and AI might be the best way to watch back. source
Journalism
AI Sportswriter Is Changing the Game—Literally
The sports journalism world is getting a digital assist. AI Sports Writer, a WordPress plugin launched just months ago, is automating match analysis, preview articles, and even visuals for football and basketball coverage. It doesn’t just spew stats—it crafts readable, engaging narratives with real-time data and natural language processing. Writers can customize tone, format, and publish cadence, meaning automation no longer means generic. It’s a glimpse of how AI might enhance—not replace—creativity in deadline-heavy fields. source
PublicSource’s AI Policy: Augment, Don’t Replace
PublicSource isn’t waiting for AI to disrupt journalism—they’re building a values-first framework to guide how it’s used. Their approach allows AI to assist with tasks like transcription, alt text, summarization, and accessibility, but draws a clear line at editorial content. No AI-generated stories, manipulated images, or editorial decision-making allowed. Their north star? Human-centered journalism powered by transparency and ethical safeguards. In an industry still feeling out its AI boundaries, PublicSource is modeling thoughtful adoption, not blind hype. source
Corporate Communications
2025’s Communications Reality Check: AI, DEI, and the C-Suite Factor
Ragan’s 2025 Communications Benchmark Report captures the mood of modern comms pros: under pressure but more influential than ever. Key takeaways? Generative AI is both an opportunity and a minefield, DEI and ESG are being re-prioritized under political strain, and the lines between internal and external messaging continue to blur. With over 900 respondents, the report shows that comms is no longer a support function—it’s a strategic lever. If you’re not tracking AI integration, C-suite influence, and measurement metrics, you're falling behind. source
AI Writing's Ubiquity: A Double-Edged Sword for Online Content
A Stanford study reveals that AI-generated writing now permeates online content, with 24% of corporate press releases, 14% of UN media alerts, and 15% of job postings exhibiting AI characteristics. This surge enhances efficiency but raises concerns about authenticity and the dilution of human creativity in digital communications. For communications professionals, balancing AI's benefits with the need for genuine, human-crafted messaging is becoming increasingly critical. source
Balancing AI Efficiency with Human Touch in Organizational Communication
Crenguța Roșu of DC Communication emphasizes the necessity for organizations to balance the efficiency gains from AI-driven communication with trust, empathy, and ethical responsibility. While AI can streamline processes, over-reliance may erode genuine human connections within corporate messaging. Organizations are encouraged to integrate AI thoughtfully, ensuring that technological advancements do not compromise the authenticity and ethical standards of their communications. source
Dis/Misinformation
Meta Doubles Down on AI-Generated Political Ads Ahead of Canadian Elections
Meta will continue allowing political ads that use artificial intelligence across its platforms—even as critics sound alarms ahead of Canada’s next federal election. Despite global concerns about AI's role in manipulating public opinion, Meta argues its disclosure policies are enough to ensure transparency. But civil society groups aren’t convinced. The move positions Meta as a key battleground for AI-powered political persuasion, raising questions about platform accountability, truth in advertising, and electoral integrity in the AI age. source
Jobs
Updated Wednesday Mar 26 from Brenna Lasky, here.
Projects
And a little bonus if you missed the mail Wednesday with my first attempt to leverage ChatGPT-4o Elicit, NotebookLM, Perplexity, and Adobe Premiere Pro…to create a chatbot about attention and content, and an entirely AI-generated podcast on the same topic!
Thanks for making it this far :-)
Paul