Journalist Verna Vuoripuro recently wrote a thought-provoking article in the biggest Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat about how major tech companies around the world are now rapidly hiring communications professionals for high-quality storytelling and content writing. 

The reason for this phenomenon is the rise of artificial intelligence and the growing amount of low-quality content it generates in corporate communications. Content generated by AI is similar, uses the same tropes, and often repeats meaningless words and figures of speech. All content is starting to sound alike, which anyone who has used AI has surely noticed. A study by Stanford University coined the term “workslop” for this type of content.

Many believe that AI could quickly and cheaply replace high-quality communication. I have recently come across tech companies that believe AI-generated content is acceptable, as long as it’s at least somewhat accurate.

This phenomenon is concerning, as a company’s reputation is built on differentiating from its competitors and highlighting its own competitive advantages. Communication plays a central role in this. How and what a tech company communicates gives it its own, distinctive voice in the market. 

The reality, however, is quite different. Artificial intelligence can generate text in seconds, but good content comes from insight, experience, and the ability to communicate a company’s story in a compelling way. Communication builds trust between a company and its stakeholders, and that trust can only be built through high-quality and relevant content. Generic content produced by AI gradually erodes that trust.

That is why I am pleased to see tech companies hiring more communications professionals. For a while, our profession as communications professionals was deemed doomed by AI. 

AI is a good tool for brainstorming content, drafting, and increasing efficiency. But without human thought, the end result easily ends up as mere slop.