School communication professionals are experimenting with AI in ways that streamline their workflows. However, they’re doing so without proper training or ethical frameworks, new research contends.
According to a new report from the National School Public Relations Association, 91% of the organization’s members surveyed are already using AI tools in their communications. Most notably, nearly 70% say their districts lack a formal policy addressing employee AI use.
Additionally, 61% do not disclose their use of AI in official communications to their districts.
“The data tells a compelling story: While school communicators are adopting AI at a rapid pace, many districts have yet to establish the structures, supports or guardrails needed to ensure its ethical and strategic use,” the report reads.
Despite this concern, the data reveals valuable insight into the types of AI tools school communications professionals find helpful. Here are the six most commonly used AI tools:
- Assistive AI: Rewords sentences or improves accessibility
- Automation/Workflow AI: Automates scheduling, email responses or reminders
- Computer vision: Analyzes images or video, like facial recognition
- Conversational AI: Powers chatbots or voice assistants
- Generative AI: Creates text, images or video prompts
- Predictive AI: Forecasts enrollment or engagement based on data trends
Among these choices, assistive AI is the most frequently used tool, with more than 25% of respondents using it “several times per day.”
The researchers also asked how school communicators are benefiting from these AI tools. According to the data, the most common uses include:
- Survey analysis: Identifying key themes and summarizing open-ended survey responses
- Social media: Crafting content, writing captions and scheduling posts
- Content creation: Generating content for newsletters, articles and scripts
- Proofreading and editing: Refining content by checking for grammar, conciseness and readability
- Brainstorming and ideation: Brainstorming ideas, generating headlines and overcoming creative blocks
- Translation: Translating content to reach non-English speaking populations
- Accessibility: Ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by generating alt text, transcribing non-accessible formats and improving readability
- Strategic planning: Outlining and developing communication strategies, drafting plans, providing initial frameworks and refining content for clarity
- Crisis management: Drafting and disseminating critical communications, allowing swift responses to stakeholders
Read the full report here to uncover leaders’ concerns about AI and their attitudes toward employee use of AI tools.
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