Torn between practicality and fear: How strategic communication professionals are adopting artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expanding across various contexts and organizations and becoming ingrained in daily practices professionals in strategic communication. This study examines the adoption of AI in strategic communication, mapping how and why professionals integrate AI into their workflows. Specifically, it identifies key AI tools, their applications, and the opportunities and risks their adoption entail. This exploratory study employs a qualitative approach, based on structured interviews to a purposive sample of 16 strategic communication professionals, defined as “professionals working in communication departments or agencies as primary agents of communication” (Heide et al., 2018, p. 1), including communication Directors and Managers. A thematic analysis was applied to the data using MAXQDA software. Our findings reveal widespread AI adoption, with ChatGPT emerging as the most used platform. AI tools are applied in various tasks, including social media content creation, data analysis, process optimization, and workflow facilitation. The main advantages identified are enhanced efficiency, resource optimization, and speed, while challenges revolve around potential displacement and data privacy concerns. Looking ahead, professionals anticipate that AI will increasingly streamline repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on critical thinking and creative work. This study contributes to understanding AI’s evolving role in strategic communication and highlights key implications for future professional practices.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI, Communication, Strategic Communication, Communication Professionals, Data privacy, Ethical considerationsAcknowledgments: The authors thank CECC - Universidade Católica Portuguesa and ICS - Universidade do Minho for the support provided to our work.DOI: https://doi.org/10.54663/2182-9306.2025.SpecialIssueMBP.6-27