The Human Voice in the Age of AI

Recap

AI may be changing how communications professionals work, but it is also reinforcing the value of the skills that have always mattered most: judgment, curiosity, storytelling, authenticity and strong relationships.

That was one of the central themes to emerge from “The Human Voice in the Age of AI,” an FCS Philadelphia breakfast hosted by Hartford Funds in Wayne, PA.

Moderated by Alicia McIlhinney, SVP, Marketing at National Philanthropic Trust, the discussion featured Amanda Lake, Head of Communication Strategy at Vanguard; Bradd DelMuto, Director of Corporate Communications at Janney; and Kourtnaye Lewis, Head of Public Relations at Hartford Funds.

AI As A Teammate

The panelists are already using AI across a wide range of communications activities, from writing and editing to research, message development, reporting, trend spotting and executive communications.

Bradd offered one useful way to frame the technology: rather than simply “using” AI, communications professionals should think about “working with it.” That mindset shifts AI from a tool that produces an answer to a collaborator that can challenge ideas, synthesize information and help teams rethink established workflows.

Amanda described how Vanguard is beginning to build AI agents around the voices of key spokespeople, combining an enterprise messaging library with the individual tone and style of executives. The goal is to maintain a consistent organizational point of view while ensuring that communications still sound like the person delivering them.

Kourtnaye described AI as a “thought partner and sounding board” — particularly useful for challenging assumptions, identifying gaps and generating new ways to approach a communications problem.

Judgment Becomes More Valuable

If AI makes it easier to produce competent content, the panel suggested, the real premium increasingly shifts to judgment.

That applies to everything from evaluating an AI-generated recommendation to deciding whether a particular story, channel or media opportunity actually makes strategic sense.

Amanda shared an example in which AI initially reinforced the team’s instinct that a particular television program would be a strong venue for an executive announcement. When she asked AI to make the case against the recommendation — and then conducted her own research — the rationale began to unravel.

It was a reminder that AI can help communicators examine an idea from multiple angles, but it cannot replace the human responsibility to assess the evidence and make the final call.

Bradd made a related point: AI can be “painfully agreeable.” Communicators still need to challenge the output, apply experience and determine what is right for the organization.

Protecting The Human Voice

As AI-generated content becomes more common, sounding authentically human may become even more important.

Kourtnaye offered a simple standard for executive messaging and media preparation: don’t write it if you wouldn’t say it. Talking points should sound natural enough to work in an actual conversation, rather than reading like polished copy that no one would ever speak aloud.

That same principle is reshaping media relations. Kourtnaye noted that journalist outreach is becoming shorter, more conversational and more personal. The goal remains the same: explain why a story matters and why it matters now — but increasingly without the elaborate setup of a traditional pitch.

Bradd emphasized that the relationship often matters even more than the email itself. Knowing a journalist’s work, engaging with them as a person and building credibility over time can create the foundation for a productive conversation when a story opportunity eventually arises.

Rethinking The Communications Playbook

Looking toward 2027, the panelists were less focused on predicting the next AI application than on reconsidering the processes behind their work.

Bradd suggested that communications teams should be willing to ask a fundamental question: If we were starting from scratch today, would we still do this the same way?

At Vanguard, Amanda said one priority will be documenting communications processes more rigorously, then examining where AI can make those processes faster, smoother or more effective.

And at Hartford Funds, Kourtnaye is already using AI for trend spotting — analyzing what has already been said, identifying gaps and thinking ahead to issues that may matter to financial professionals several months from now.

The discussion ultimately returned to the idea at the heart of the program: AI may transform the communications workflow, but it does not diminish the need for a human voice. If anything, as producing content becomes easier, the qualities that distinguish great communicators — judgment, empathy, curiosity, credibility and the ability to tell a story — become even more important.

The panel discussion included a robust set of questions for a very engaged audience of marketing professional from the Philadelphia and New York communities.

In gratitude to Hartford Funds for hosting our event, the FCS proudly donated $1,000 to Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia.

For more information about FCS Philadelphia, please contact Chapter President Phil Edelstein, Substance Strategy & Creative, [email protected].

(First photo, left to right: Phil Edelstein, Alicia McIlhinney, Bradd DelMuto, Kourtnaye Lewis, Amanda Lake.)