Thoughts on a “Revolution,” What Communicators Are Saying About AI Today

TL;DR — 3 Takeaways for Communicators

1. AI isn’t neutral. The environmental cost, IP and data risks, and erosion of work are real concerns, voiced by communicators, not just skeptics.
2. Governance matters. Beyond “use responsibly,” we should advocate for transparency around ethics, resources, and bias, drawing on frameworks like UNESCO’s Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
3. Human connection is irreplaceable. AI can generate words, but only communicators bring the judgment, empathy, and trust that make communication meaningful.

For a while, I avoided adding my voice to the AI noise. Did I have anything new to say? Wasn’t everything changing too quickly to matter? But as I’ve taken courses, had conversations with AI practitioners, and dug into history and ethics readings, I’ve realized communicators need to be part of shaping this moment. Consider this post a milestone marker of where we are and a reminder of what matters.

From the AI x EX ½ Virtual Summit

I recently attended The AI x EX ½ Virtual Summit: What Now, What Next? hosted by Simpplr. As a communicator, I wanted to hear how others in our field are navigating AI. The event promised to go beyond tool demos into the deeper questions: How do we adapt? How do we support employees through change? What assumptions need to be challenged?

The sessions were thought-provoking, but the live chat was where the real conversation unfolded. Experienced professionals, including myself, voiced serious concerns:

• Environmental impact of massive data centers (energy and water usage).
• Risks around data security and intellectual property theft.
• The disappearance of entry-level roles leaves juniors without a foundation to learn “what good is,” and they are next in line in the field.
• Pressure to “produce more” without limits, leading to burnout.
• The growing difficulty of verifying AI outputs, which often loop back to other AI responses.

Meanwhile, we kept hearing the message: “Don’t be afraid of AI,” like it’s some type of monster in the closet. But really, it’s not fear; instead, it’s wisdom from past experiences to question its implications. As a mid-millennial, I have seen and experienced how technology like social media has shaped comms for good and for bad, and frankly, if it went away, I can’t say I would miss it.

One session, delivered by a futurist with AI-generated slides, touted a frictionless future: robot-delivered green juice, VR glasses for updates, driverless cars for the commute home. The chat’s reaction? Overwhelmingly bleak. If robots and tech do everything, what’s the point of showing up? What’s lost in the process?

I’m glad there was a contrasting session that was grounded in ethics and governance. For me, it’s clear we need to learn from the lack of regulation around social media and integrate concerns, like those raised in the chat, into government and organizational policies before AI runs too far ahead.

What Communicators Can Do

So, what’s our role when we feel pushed to adopt AI? Here are some steps we can take:

1. Ask better questions. If your organization has AI guidelines, do they include disclaimers about resource usage, intellectual property risks, or data security? If not, raise these questions. Communicators are skilled at surfacing blind spots and framing them in ways leaders can act on.
2. Advocate for transparency. Imagine if every prompt came with a “receipt”: Did you know this request used X liters of water or Y kilowatt hours of energy? AI may feel “free” in the moment, but its cost is real. Normalizing that awareness could reshape how people use it.
3. Champion governance. The EU has already laid down principles for trustworthy AI. These can guide us even if our organizations or countries haven’t caught up. We can model what responsible use looks like.
4. Stay connected. Attending events like the AI x EX Summit, or like the upcoming AI in Regulation Conference 2026, can keep us informed and part of the dialogue. These conversations sharpen our ability to challenge assumptions and protect the human side of communication.
5. Keep perspective. AI is a tool, not a replacement for the empathy, nuance, and context communicators bring. By framing our work as connection, not just content production, we defend what’s uniquely human.

Resources to Explore

If you want to dive deeper into AI, ethics, and the societal impacts of technology, here are a few thought-provoking resources (this includes my favourite genres of books, “I learned something and now I am mad”).

📚 Books

• Blood in the Machine by Brian Merchant:  on the original Luddites and lessons for resisting exploitative tech today.
• Empire of AI by Karen Hao: insights into the power dynamics and potential societal consequences of the technology.
• Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein: on identity, misinformation, and the distortion of reality online.
• The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins: a sobering look at how technology, propaganda, and power intersect.
• Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams: explores cultural shifts and storytelling in the age of mass media.

📰 Substacks & Newsletters

• Where’s Your Ed At by Ed Zitron: where PR and tech commentary collide.
• The Algorithmic Bridge by Alberto Romero: explorations of AI hype vs. reality.
• AI as Normal Technology by Arvind Narayanan & Sayash Kapoor: myth-busting perspectives on AI’s actual capabilities.
• Platformer by Casey Newton:  analysis of tech platforms, AI policy, and their effects on communication.

🎧 Podcasts

• Your Undivided Attention (Center for Humane Technology): how tech hijacks attention and what it means for society.
• Hard Fork (New York Times): weekly discussions on AI, tech hype, and cultural implications.
• Tech Won’t Save Us by Paris Marx:  a critical look at who benefits from new technology.

Looking Ahead

For me, the most valuable part of the summit was discovering I wasn’t alone in my thoughts about AI.  Many communicators share the same doubts, tensions, and hopes I do. It reminded me of the “old internet”, a place of real conversation, not just hype or outrage.

I’ll keep showing up for these conversations to better understand what rules (if any) are being shaped. In the meantime, we can lead where we are, asking sharper questions, framing better conversations, and protecting what matters most: trust, connection, and the human side of communication.