An algorithm instead of a PR specialist: is business ready for the new era and how AI is changing communications today
24 April 2025 20:54
The world of communications is undergoing a technological revolution: artificial intelligence is not just changing tools, it is transforming the very approach to building a connection between business and audience. The "Komersant Ukrainian" discussion panel “AI in Business Communications and PR: What are the Benefits and Hidden Threats” became a platform for a sincere dialog about the opportunities, risks, and future of the profession. How does Metinvest Group use AI in its communications? Why does the Kyiv School of Economics see AI as a way to deeper knowledge acquisition? How AI is already changing PR, marketing, and education today, and why businesses should be careful not to lose human control in the world of automation – read on.
Artificial intelligence in PR: a revolution of opportunities and risks – Metinvest Group’s experience
During the discussion panel “AI in business communications and PR: what are the benefits and where are the hidden threats”, Oleg Davydenko, Metinvest Group’s Director of Corporate Communications, shared practical examples of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation in the company’s PR team and outlined potential risks arising from the technological transformation of the industry.
“The AI industry is like a patchwork quilt that is gradually being filled with innovative solutions. The technology improves almost fundamentally every year. Every six months, we can meet, and the topic of discussion will be completely different,” said Oleg Davydenko.
In his report, he divided the use of AI in communications into two areas: frontend (text, graphics, visual data processing) and backend (analytics, systematization, automation of routine work).
“We use AI to process visual materials and create content, but it is not a complete replacement for humans yet. Quality is something that still remains with humans today. AI helps to do more, but not necessarily better,” emphasized Oleg Davydenko.
However, with such opportunities come risks. Davydenko warned that the active use of AI in the daily work of communicators could lead to the erosion of professional expertise.
“We may lose mid-level specialists who eventually become strategists and managers. An agent responsible for the basic routine will not replace the understanding of the depth of meanings, the nuances of communication with key stakeholders. And this is a key risk – in the future, there will be no one left who can professionally manage the reputation of companies,” emphasized Oleg Davydenko.
In conclusion, Davydenko drew attention to the emergence of a new generation – individual AI agents that can become assistants for PR professionals, but at the same time pose a challenge to the evolution of the profession:
“Perhaps in 5 years, it will be IT people who will be running PR departments. Knowledge of languages, literature, texts is no longer the exclusive domain of humanities. Technology and meanings are merging, and we are already on this path,” summarized Oleg Davydenko.
Artificial Intelligence in Business Communications: Breakthrough or Trap?
Tymofiy Mylovanov, President of the Kyiv School of Economics and Minister of Economic Development of Ukraine (2019-2020), shared his experience of using artificial intelligence in education, business, and communications. His experience shows that: AI is not just a trend, but a profound transformation of approaches to audience interaction.
“We are trying to see if we can transfer the entire Kyiv School of Economics to such training. Of course, some teachers will remain, but we can spread it out. The results show that the material is better and deeper than in classroom seminars,” says Milovanov.
He gives an example of how he is testing a sociology course built on the basis of an AI assistant that works as a personal tutor.
“The AI assistant works according to my learning style. It is individualized. It’s convenient. It doesn’t just lecture, but engages in a dialog, gives tasks, and analyzes progress. My team and I track engagement analytics and see that it is higher than in regular classes with a teacher,” says Tymofii Mylovanov.
Artificial intelligence is transforming not only education but also PR strategies. Milovanov shared how AI helped to significantly improve the communication effectiveness of his personal brand:
“We reached 690 million views in a year. Previously, 220 million was the limit of dreams. After implementing AI, we changed the workflow, and it gave us a powerful breakthrough – the coverage increased many times over,” emphasizesTymofiy Mylovanov.
Daily work with content is a structured process in which AI helps at every stage: from analytics to material generation. He emphasizes that the main transformation is a change in the role of the team.
“The team of the future is not people with fixed roles, but a customized workflow provided by AI. People are responsible for customization, adaptation, correction, not content creation,” emphasizes Tymofiy Mylovanov.
Although the expert recognizes the existence of potential threats, he is convinced that the future belongs to adaptive systems built on the principles of flexible interaction between people and algorithms.
AI is no longer the future, but a daily reality: how businesses can avoid losing control in communications with artificial intelligence
Alyona Kaplina, PR & Communications Manager at EKO MARKET supermarket chain, shared her vision of AI use in business communications. According to her, the main question for any manager today is how not to lose sanity and control when implementing artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence is already working in most companies, either officially or underground. Your employees are using ChatGPT, Midjourney, Claude, Perplexity AI – often without permission, from their personal devices, and often the result is better than in official processes,” Kaplina notes.
With efficiency comes risks. For example, according to the US National Cyber Security Alliance, 38% of employees already share confidential information with AI services without their employers’ permission, Kaplina notes.
“We are used to thinking that if something is not forbidden, it is allowed. But in the case of AI, it can cost a company its reputation, security, and money. It’s not enough to ban it – we need an alternative and education,” emphasizes Alyona Kaplina.
Kaplina suggests creating clear guidelines for the use of AI in enterprises that cover
- permitted and prohibited services,
- explanation of risks in simple human language,
- implementation of corporate accounts with security,
- trainings and onboarding with the rules of ethical AI use.
“Do not leave gray areas. If AI is a tool, the employee is responsible. If it is a company’s decision, the business is responsible. And we, the PR specialists, have to deal with the consequences,” emphasizes Aliona Kaplina.
It’s better to have a corporate chatbot than a chat riot, Kaplina concludes.
The PR & Communications manager of the EKO MARKET supermarket chain also shared a personal story. She says that when I asked my personalized chatbot GPT whether it uses my data for training, it initially said, ‘Of course not. But an hour and a half later, he suggested it: “Alyona, please don’t enter your personal data – who knows what will happen in a year and a half.”
“Artificial intelligence does not get tired”: how AI technologies are changing marketing – Netpeak’s experience
Vitalii Ivanov, Head of Retention Marketing at Netpeak Agency, presented not only a humorous introduction but also a deep dive into practical cases of AI implementation in marketing processes.
“Are you tired? Artificial intelligence is not. It does not take vacations and does not get sick. But the main thing is that it allows businesses to communicate with customers quickly, personalized, and to the point,” Vitaliy Ivanov emphasized.
At Netpeak, which has been operating in the market since 2006, the retention marketing team focuses on retaining and re-engaging customers through channels that do not require voice interaction: chatbots, email, SMS, etc.
Ivanov also derives a formula: AI = convenience = efficiency.
“I am one of those people who ignore calls from unknown numbers. And there are many of them. People don’t want to talk, they want results. This is where AI-powered chatbots are the perfect solution,” Vitaly Ivanov explains.
He gave an example of GPT integration into a chatbot for job search on OLX: a user simply writes a phrase like “I want to work as a marketer in Kyiv, salary from 30 thousand,” and the bot immediately provides relevant vacancies.
“We stopped making people click buttons. They just write what they want, and AI understands and responds,” Ivanov says.
Personalization and context memory. One of the key advantages of modern chatbots is the ability to memorize queries and respond within the framework of previous conversations.
In conclusion, Vitaliy urged businesses not to be afraid of experiments. Artificial intelligence is no longer the future – it is in chatbots, email newsletters, and push notifications. And if you are not with it, you are out of the game.
So, artificial intelligence is not a temporary trend, but a profound change in the logic of work in PR and business communications. Its implementation provides extraordinary opportunities – from automating routines to breakthroughs in personalization. At the same time, with each new step comes challenges: the risk of losing professional depth, ethical dilemmas, and threats to data security. That’s why the future belongs to hybrid models where technology enhances humans rather than replaces them. And the main task for communicators is to maintain a balance, adapting to the new reality without losing the values of the profession.
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