Opinion

By Victor Oladokun

THIS brief writeup is not about the sad and tragic events currently unfolding in Kenya. That is an entirely separate  conversation altogether. 

Rather, it is about the increasing propensity of communication professionals and speech writers to depend *entirely* or predominantly on A.I. to generate content. The fact is, A.I. – generated content can easily be detected.

Yesterday, President William Samoei  Ruto delivered an emergency address to the nation in the wake of protests against his government’s new Finance Bill.

Hours later, GenZ netizens exposed the fact that the speech was 91% A.I. generated.

Permit me to share 3 takeaways from this PR debacle. 

First, an over-reliance on A.I. generated content can and will create serious issues of credibility and trust for leaders. For what was primed to be the most important speech of President Ruto’s term so far as President of the Republic of Kenya, his handlers failed him.

Second, the over-reliance on A.I. calls into question the credibility, competency, and communication skills of members of the President’s team saddled with the critically important responsibility of helping shape his narrative.

Third, this unfortunate faux pass serves as a warning for all communication professionals or leaders engaged in communication enterprises of whatever sort. The lesson is the need to be circumspect and frugal when it comes to the utilization of A.I. generated content. 

In a dynamic regional and global environment of constant change, at the speed of light and exceptionally tight schedules, the need for originality and authenticity has never been greater. 

A.I. is a fantastic research tool. But it can never be, nor should it be, the “end-all and be-all” of good communication.  

***Victor Oladokun is a communication/media consultant and advisor

A.I

June 26, 2024 @ 18:18 GMT

Tags: Victor Oladokun