AI, reputation, and the return to basics
Earning trust and building reputation needs a business comms strategy that mirrors your brand and purspose.
There's a healthy debate taking place across business and the communications profession about how we embrace AI responsibly. A great piece ran in The Sunday Times this weekend. See here (if you have a subscription)
Unquestionably, the opportunities for AI are huge, and so are the questions around trust, governance, misinformation, and reputation. These themes continue to feature heavily in guidance from both the CIPR , PRCA, McKinsey and beyond.
What strikes me is that for all the excitement around AI, we're being taken back to some familiar fundamentals.
· Who are we?
· What do we stand for?
· Why should people trust us?
· How do we create long-term value?
These aren't technology questions. They're leadership questions. Good businesses have always needed a clear sense of purpose, a strong reputation and consistent brand and business communications. AI doesn't really change that. If anything, it makes it more important.
Running alongside this, I think there's a broader conversation to be had. Every AI query relies on energy, and resources. Organisations from the UN Environment Programme, the International Energy Agency and the World Economic Forum have all highlighted the growing environmental impact of AI's rapid expansion. [unep.org], [weforum.org], [iea.org] There’s now no avoiding that we live in a fragile world where scarcity, extreme weather and social justice are daily topics of conversation. For me, this is where experienced communications and reputation advisers add value and influence the decisions leadeship take more responsibly. Not as content producers. Instead, as trusted guides helping leaders navigate change, balance opportunity with responsibility, and think through how decisions will be judged by stakeholders, customers, employees, investors, and communities.
I've argued before that ESG is missing a letter. R for Reputation. Because reputation is what turns commitments into credibility. The more AI technology advances, the more valuable experiences, sound judgement, trust, and clear business barratives will become. These are the glue that quietly holds a business together.
Perhaps the future isn't about using more AI. It's about using it wisely and responsibly and dare I say it – not reinventing the wheel but delivering good business leadership and leaning into trusted and experienced advisors to help you take decisions that align with your purpose value and brand promise and narrative. If you need help navigating topics, and wanted an objective experienced perspective – I’m always happy to talk. Contact me here