Where or how AI is currently being used, or might be used in the near future, in the IMC field, whether academically while studying or in the workplace

First of all, I would like to start by saying that I am majoring in Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC), and AI is already widely used in this field. What is interesting is that AI is not limited to one specific area in IMC, but rather spreads across multiple functions such as content creation, audience analysis, media planning, and campaign execution. Each of these areas tends to rely on AI differently depending on the task. For example, AI tools are commonly used to generate advertising copy, social media content, and even full campaign ideas, while in audience analysis they are used to process large datasets, identify patterns, and segment audiences more efficiently. From an academic perspective, I personally use AI tools such as ChatGPT to better understand course material, summarise lectures, and help with structuring assignments. AI also helps in generating ideas and simplifying complex concepts. However, this also raises an important concern, which is that over-reliance on AI may limit my ability to think critically or fully understand the subject if I depend on it too much. In the professional field, AI is being used heavily in marketing and media industries. According to my interview with my media literacy professor, AI is used in content generation, campaign creation, social listening, sentiment analysis, and even journalism-related tasks such as translation, transcription, and fact-checking . At the same time, there is an interesting shift happening in the industry where some agencies are becoming fully AI-based, while others are intentionally avoiding AI and promoting human-only creativity as a competitive advantage. This shows that AI is not only changing how work is done, but also changing how value is perceived in the industry. In the future, I believe that AI will become even more integrated into IMC through more advanced systems that can manage entire campaigns, from analysing audiences to generating and distributing content automatically. While this may improve efficiency and reduce costs, it may also reduce originality and increase dependence on automated systems. At the same time, new opportunities may emerge where professionals work alongside AI rather than being replaced by it.

Ways AI will be used in the IMC field

AI has moved beyond being just a supporting tool and is becoming a core part of communication strategies. One of the most important developments is the rise of hyper-personalisation, where AI can analyse user behaviour and deliver highly targeted messages based on individual preferences. This allows brands to communicate with audiences in a more precise and effective way. At the same time, IMC is increasingly moving towards a “human + AI” model, where AI handles repetitive and data-heavy tasks such as content generation, audience segmentation, and performance tracking, while humans focus more on strategy, creativity, and decision-making. This shifts the role of communication professionals rather than eliminating it. AI is also transforming how content is distributed. Instead of broadcasting messages to a broad audience, AI allows for highly customised distribution, ensuring that content reaches the right audience at the right time. However, this also raises concerns about filter bubbles and the possibility of audiences being exposed only to information that aligns with their existing views. Another important development is the use of AI in analysing audience behaviour through social listening and sentiment analysis. This helps organisations understand public opinion more quickly and adjust their communication strategies accordingly. However, this also creates the risk of over-optimising content based on data, which may reduce creativity and originality over time.
Note: for this question, I used ChatGPT.
https://chatgpt.com/share/69f5f094-9708-83eb-963a-ea319efd587e

Interview Questions for Professor

How is AI currently being used in mass communication, both in academic settings and in the media industry?
Which areas of mass communication are being most transformed by AI right now, and why those specifically?
How is AI influencing the way content is created and distributed?
How do you think AI will change the role of media professionals in the next 5–10 years?
Do you think AI poses risks to the credibility of media content?
Are there aspects of mass communication where human judgment will always remain essential?
Have you encountered situations where AI tools produced misleading or problematic content?
What ethical concerns arise from using AI in the media?
How does AI affect audience behaviour and perception?
As a student preparing for this field, what skills should I focus on to remain relevant as AI becomes more widespread?

Key findings from the Professor Interview

I reached out to my media literacy professor, Dr. Salma ElGhetany, to better understand how AI is actually being used in mass communication and IMC.

After interviewing Salma ElGhetany, I realised that AI is not just something being added to mass communication, but something that is already fully integrated into both academic and professional environments. From her perspective, in academia AI is used in course design, curriculum planning, and assessment development, while students use it for research, summarisation, and content generation. In the industry, it is used in marketing campaigns, journalism, audience analysis, and content production. What stood out to me most is her point that AI exists across all stages of media production, including data gathering, content creation, and distribution, which shows that its impact is not limited to one specific area. She explained that the areas most transformed by AI are those that deal with large amounts of data, especially audience analysis and targeting. These tasks used to take a lot of time and effort, but AI has made them much faster and more efficient, which allows for a higher level of personalisation in communication. However, she also pointed out that this level of personalisation can make content more addictive and potentially more manipulative, which raises important ethical concerns in how communication is designed. When we talked about content creation, she made a clear distinction between efficiency and quality. AI definitely improves efficiency, but that does not mean it improves the quality of content. She described the current situation as a “honeymoon phase”, where people are impressed by what AI can produce. But in the future, she expects that content might become more repetitive and less original, since AI depends on existing data to generate new outputs. I think this is important, especially in IMC where creativity and differentiation are essential. Another key point she raised is that AI is developing faster than regulation. This creates challenges related to copyright, job displacement, and accountability, because policies are not evolving at the same pace as the technology. This makes it difficult to clearly define responsibility when issues happen. She also highlighted the risks AI poses to media credibility, especially through deepfakes and misinformation. These are difficult to manage because the tools used to create misleading content are often more accessible than those used to verify it. On top of that, people are more likely to believe information that already aligns with their opinions, which makes the problem even worse. At the same time, she emphasised that human judgement is still very important. AI still struggles with understanding culture, emotions, and context, which are all critical in communication. Without human input, the content can miss meaning or fail to connect with the audience. She even mentioned a personal experience where AI generated false academic references that looked correct but were actually wrong, which shows how easily AI can produce misleading information. Finally, she mentioned that she personally uses tools like Claude, Perplexity, and ChatGPT in her work, which reflects how widely these tools are already being used in practice. Overall, what I took from this interview is that AI is not just improving communication processes, but also creating new challenges, especially in terms of ethics, quality, and credibility.

Interview a person in the profession that you know

This is an interview I conducted with my father, Moataz Elkady, who holds an MBA in Marketing. I asked him the same questions I asked Dr Salma ElGhetany.

After interviewing my father, Moataz Elkady, who holds an MBA in Marketing, I gained a clearer and more realistic understanding of how AI is currently used in mass communication. As a student in Integrated Marketing Communication, this discussion was particularly relevant because it directly connects to how marketing strategies are evolving. One point that challenged my initial thinking is that AI is not replacing human roles as quickly as many people claim. Instead, it is mainly accelerating existing processes such as content production, audience targeting, and data analysis. This made me realise that the transformation is more gradual and depends heavily on how organisations adopt these tools, rather than the technology alone. I was also struck by the trade-off between efficiency and originality. AI enables faster content creation and highly personalised communication, which is essential in integrated marketing. However, my father pointed out that over-reliance on AI can lead to repetitive and less creative content. This is critical in marketing, where differentiation and originality are key to capturing audience attention. Another important insight was related to credibility and misinformation. AI can generate content that appears highly convincing, even when it is inaccurate. This made me understand that in marketing communication, maintaining trust is becoming more challenging. It also highlighted the importance of verifying information rather than assuming AI-generated content is reliable. The role of human judgment was another key theme. My father emphasised that areas such as ethics, storytelling, and cultural understanding cannot be fully automated. In Integrated Marketing Communication, these elements are essential for building meaningful connections with audiences. This reinforced the idea that human input will remain central, even as AI tools become more advanced. I also found the discussion about audience behaviour very insightful. AI-driven personalisation can make audiences feel more informed, but it can also subtly influence their perceptions and decisions. This raised concerns for me about echo chambers and the ethical responsibility of marketers when using AI to shape audience experiences. As a student, this interview helped me rethink the skills I need to develop. Beyond learning how to use AI tools, I now see the importance of critical thinking, creativity, and understanding consumer behaviour. One key mistake I will avoid is depending on AI without questioning its outputs or limitations. Overall, this reflection shifted my perspective from seeing AI as a purely transformative force to understanding it as a powerful but imperfect tool. In the context of Integrated Marketing Communication, its value depends on how effectively and responsibly it is used alongside human insight.

My reflection on the key findings

In my opinion, I initially expected AI to be heavily relied on in the IMC field, to the point where professionals would depend on it for most aspects of their work, especially in content creation and decision-making. I assumed it was already a central tool that people trust almost completely. However, after hearing Dr.Salma ElGhetany’s perspective, I realised that this assumption is not entirely accurate. AI is widely used, but it is not fully trusted, and human judgment still plays a critical role. One of the most surprising points for me was how AI can generate false information, such as fake academic references, while still sounding confident and convincing. That made me realise that relying on AI without verification can be risky, especially in academic and professional contexts. At the same time, I found it concerning that AI might reduce originality and creativity in the long term. If content continues to be generated based on existing patterns, there is a real risk that it becomes repetitive and less innovative, which is a serious issue in IMC where differentiation is important. I was also concerned about the impact of AI on media credibility and audience behaviour. The idea that people might become more influenced by algorithm-driven content, and potentially less informed, highlights a deeper problem in how communication is evolving. It suggests that AI is not just shaping content, but also shaping how audiences think and respond. On the other hand, I do see the positive side. AI can significantly improve efficiency and provide deeper insights into audience behaviour, making communication more targeted and effective. This is a clear advantage in IMC, especially when dealing with large and diverse audiences. Overall, this assignment made me realise that I should not rely on AI blindly. Instead, I need to build a strong foundation in IMC so that I can critically evaluate AI outputs and use them properly. I also think it is important to develop skills like critical thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness, because these are areas where AI still falls short. In the end, AI is clearly transforming IMC, but its impact is not simply positive or negative. It creates real opportunities, but also introduces serious challenges. The key is to use AI as a tool that supports human work, not replaces it, while staying aware of its limitations and risks.