Exploring the role of artificial intelligence in strategic communication: understanding, perceptions, uses and gratifications, and projections among Portuguese professionals

Purpose This study aims to investigate the understanding, uses, gratifications and perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) integration within strategic communication, focusing on insights from Portuguese communication professionals. With AI increasingly central to strategic communication and public relations, this research seeks to understand how communication experts view AI’spotential and limitations in their field. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 46 professionals in the Portuguese communication industry. Findings Results reveal that professionals generally had a reasonable understanding of AI, recognizing it mainly as a tool for automating tasks and synthesizing data. There is a growing awareness of AI platforms, particularly of ChatGPT. Most interviewees showed a favorable attitude towards AI’spotential to improve productivity and streamline repetitive tasks. However, they expressed concerns about job displacement and excessive reliance on AI. This cautious optimism underscores the importance of balancing AI adoption with ethical considerations, attention to content accuracy and preservation of human creativity. Originality/value This study provides insights into the perceptions of AI among Portuguese strategic communication professionals, an area with limited existing research. By highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of AI in strategic communication, the findings offer valuable recommendations for industry practices. These include the need for professional training to navigate AI-related challenges and an emphasis on ethical principles to guide AI use, advocating for a complementary approach that leverages AI’scapabilities while preserving human creativity.