Internal communications (IC) is one of those areas where AI’s impact is making fundamental changes to the communicator’s role and our ability to connect and increase employee engagement.
The fast-moving tech advantages are increasingly rubbing up against the human interaction skills that have traditionally been the hallmark of IC. The internal communicator is ideally placed as the eyes and ears of the organisation, one of the central cogs in the corporate machine. Uniting leadership, functions and frontline colleagues helping build stronger bonds, deeper connection, aligning and motivating colleagues to deliver the strategy and ambitions of the organisation.
The AI opportunities and challenges are wide-ranging with the power to transform organisations, ways of working and how we engage with employees in an authentic, human and effective manner, and this has massive implications for leadership.
AI is now an increasingly important tool in the armoury of leadership communication, but one that is never neutral and comes loaded with moral consequences and increasingly needs to be handled with sensitivity and care. Its impact and application is an ongoing debate amongst leaders and internal communicators as they seek to embrace and benefit from AI while enhancing and amplifying their role in reaching all parts of the organisation.
In this interview, Rich Baker and Andy Holt, two long-standing IC professionals, discuss:
- Why AI is making leadership more human and more exposed, not less
- How AI rewards leaders who pause, question, and consider second-order effects
- Why trust and judgement matter more – not less – as AI becomes more capable
- The difference between using AI as a tool for efficiency and using it as a collaborator for deeper thinking
- What IC professionals and leaders should focus on as this shift accelerates
The interview with Andy Holt and Rich Baker
Andy:
Rich, when we first started chatting about AI, we were really thinking about communications leadership and how AI is changing the role of communicators. But as we’ve talked, it feels like the implications are far broader than that. This isn’t just about communications anymore – it’s about leadership more generally. With that in mind, what are you seeing in your day job?
Rich:
Thanks, Andy. I think that’s spot on.
When we kicked-off, I was thinking more about communications leadership because that’s where I spend most of my time. But the more I’ve worked with AI, and the more I’ve written about it, the more I’ve realised this isn’t just about communications. It’s also about what AI is shining a light on.
You know this. For a long time, leadership has involved making sense of complexity, translating strategy, and helping people understand where they fit. But there’s always been an unspoken truth beneath that: not all leaders were equally good at all of it. Some were brilliant sense-makers, motivators and directional. Others relied far more on confidence, authority, or experience.
I think AI is changing that balance.
Because now, everyone has access to tools that can generate answers, summaries, and recommendations. The technical barrier to “looking informed” has dropped dramatically. Which means the differentiator is no longer access to information. It’s judgement.
The leaders who stand out now aren’t the ones with the quickest answers. They’re the ones asking better, more informed questions. The ones who can hold ambiguity. The ones who can step back and think about how a decision will actually land with their people.
I explored this more recently in my blog piece Thinking Like a Leader: Metacognition in the Age of AI, but the short version is that leadership is becoming more reflective. More thoughtful. More deliberate.
In other words, leadership is becoming more cognitive and more human at the same time.
And that’s quite a profound shift.
Andy:
That’s interesting. It seems counter-intuitive to the general tone out there and the fears AI is dumbing us down and making us less connected to our humanity, but what you’re saying is AI actually makes leadership more human and centred, not less?
Rich:
Exactly. And in some ways, more exposed. Because AI is very good at producing something that looks reasonable. A plausible answer. A neat summary. A confident recommendation.
But leadership has never really been about plausibility. It’s about consequence.
You can ask AI for a communication plan, for example, and it will give you something structured and sensible. But it won’t necessarily understand the political dynamics, the history between teams, the credibility of the messenger, or the emotional climate of the organisation.
Andy:
You’re right context, climate and culture is everything.
Rich:
Yes, and that’s where leadership still lives.
And actually, that gap becomes more visible now.
If a leader simply takes AI output and runs with it, people feel it. It lacks texture. It lacks awareness. It lacks judgement. But if a leader uses AI as a ‘thinking partner’, something different happens. They can explore options faster, test ideas and challenge assumptions. And then apply their human judgement to shape something far more thoughtful.
That’s something I explored before where I’ve talked about AI not as a replacement for thinking, but as a collaborator in it.
That’s where the real opportunity sits.
Not AI replacing leadership, but AI amplifying thoughtful leadership.
Andy:
That all resonates. I see that in pockets in the work we do, but do you think leaders are ready for that fundamental shift? After all, as you say, it’s quite exposing.
Rich:
Honestly? Not entirely.
Because this isn’t just about learning to use new tools. It’s about something deeper, a shift in how leaders think.
Historically, leadership often rewarded decisiveness and certainty. Being the person with the answer. Moving quickly. Projecting confidence.
But AI changes that dynamic.
Because now, the value isn’t always in having the answer first. It’s in knowing when to pause. When to question. When to think about second-order effects. And that can feel uncomfortable. Particularly in fast-paced organisations where speed is prized.
But I think the best leaders already operate this way. They just don’t always articulate it.
They spend more time thinking about how decisions will land. They test assumptions. They ask, “What might we be missing?” or “How will this feel for people on the ground?”
AI actually rewards that style of leadership.
Because if everyone has access to fast answers, the advantage shifts to those who think more deeply.
Andy:
That’s interesting. AI becomes the liberator of leadership in that sense. I know another focus for you, and you’ve written about this, is trust in leadership. How do you think AI affects that?
Rich:
I think trust becomes even more important.
Because when information becomes abundant, people start to rely more on judgement and intent.
If leaders are using AI, people will ask – even subconsciously – are they thinking this through? Are they applying context? Are they considering the human side?
And that’s where credibility matters.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that people don’t necessarily expect perfect decisions. But they do expect thoughtful ones.
They can tell when something has been considered carefully. And they can tell when something feels generic or disconnected. AI makes that contrast sharper.
So, trust isn’t built through having the smartest answer. It’s built through showing thoughtfulness, awareness, and care in how decisions are made.
And that’s very human.
Andy:
I know you often talk about AI as a collaborator rather than a tool. Can you expand on that a bit more, and what you mean by that?
Rich:
I think that’s one of the biggest mindset shifts people need to make. When people think of AI as a tool, they tend to use it for efficiency. Writing drafts. Summarising documents. Generating ideas.
All of which is useful. But when you start treating AI as a collaborator, you use it differently.
You explore ideas. You test your thinking. You ask it to challenge your assumptions. You refine your own perspective through that AI dialogue.
It becomes less about outsourcing thinking and more about enhancing thinking. And interestingly, that process often makes your own voice clearer, not weaker. Because you’re forced to articulate what you believe, what feels right, what doesn’t quite land.
In that sense, AI becomes less about automation and more about reflection.
Which is quite an unexpected outcome.
Andy:
That’s fascinating, and I agree with you up to a point. I certainly think it can give you that valuable external perspective, but I also think it’s important to retain your personality, your independence of thought and expression. Without considered application, AI can flatten any individuality.
So, saying that, where do you think this goes next?
Rich:
I think we’re moving toward a world where leadership becomes quieter, but deeper. Less about performative certainty. More about thoughtful judgement. Less about having all the answers. More about asking better questions.
And less about individual brilliance. More about human-AI collaboration.
What’s interesting is that none of this is entirely new. These have always been the hallmarks of strong leadership. But AI accelerates the need for them.
Because when everyone can generate answers, leadership shifts toward meaning-making, judgement, and trust. And those things are inherently human. In a strange way, AI may not actually change leadership as much as reveal what leadership was always meant to be.
Andy:
Good point! A final question, Rich. If you had one piece of advice for leaders navigating this shift, what would it be?
Rich:
I’d say don’t rush to use AI just to be efficient. Use it to think more deeply. The leaders who benefit most won’t be the ones who automate fastest. They’ll be the ones who reflect more thoughtfully. Because ultimately, leadership isn’t about generating answers.
It’s about helping people make sense of complexity, move forward with confidence, and feel that decisions have been made with care. AI can help with that.
But the leadership still belongs to us.
Andy:
And on that reassuring note I think that’s a great place to end!
Rich is Head of Internal Communication for Audit and Assurance at Deloitte. He has spent the better part of eighteen years helping organisations shape culture and employee experience. His back catalogue includes roles at Amazon, Jaguar Land Rover, Carlsberg, National Grid and Virgin Trains. Rich is an IoIC Fellow, former IoIC Central region director, MBA, and trusted adviser to executives, boards and leadership teams. Rich is always an early and enthusiastic adopter of cutting-edge tech.
Andy is Definition’s Principal of Engagement and Experience. For over 30 years’ he has built a world-class portfolio of brands. Working closely with senior leadership teams, he helps them develop their IC, EX, and strategic communications. A leading voice in the internal communications industry, he was a board member of the Institute of Internal Communications and is a leading committee member of the Northern Comms Collective – a fast-growing network for IC professionals.
