The do’s and don’ts of public speaking in an age of AI

CORMAC SMITH has worked across local and national government as a senior communication leader and advisor. Now he is a prolific broadcaster and commentator on Ukraine. Through Westco, Cormac is providing training to senior leaders on public speaking. Here, he sets out his tips for cutting through in an age of AI.

 

I have always believed that great leadership is the key to success in any venture, and great leadership requires great communication. Sadly, all too often our leaders, at every level, and some very good people among them, lack the requisite communication skills. Public speaking, in particular, is the thing that 70% of us fear the most, and therefore never get to grips with.

 

It’s always been thus. As someone with a lifelong passion for public speaking, I have always gotten the greatest professional pleasure out of helping others find their voice as well.

 

But now I find the game has changed. Over the last four years, while I have happily carried out hundreds of broadcast interviews and delivered pro bono communications training for a range of organisations, I have carried on almost blissfully oblivious to the rise and rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how it was now being used to influence so much of what we do.

 

AI is now being used to write press releases, speeches, and reports; it can write 100 lines in three seconds; God forbid, in some dark corners of a press room, it may even be writing articles we read in the media!

 

At 63, is there even a place for an old analogue dinosaur like me anymore?

 

So, I set about doing some research, using AI, of course, to see if I could find evidence to back my conviction that I was still very much relevant.

 

What I found was both fascinating and reassuring. I’ll try to summarise the numerous reports and AI-generated ‘opinion’ that I found.

 

The top 10% - 20%, in any organisation, who were always good speakers have remained good speakers. But here’s the thing: those who have embraced AI correctly are most likely now even better. They use AI to do the spade work, research, and maybe even content creation, leaving themselves free to focus on the human, emotive, engaging stuff.

 

The middle 60% - 70% are probably using AI to write speeches that look OK on paper, though delivery is likely to be wooden, and they will almost certainly collapse if they go off script or get challenging questions from the audience.

 

The bottom 10% - 20% might well attempt it, but they’ll likely sound like they are reading a hostage video!

 

AI is here to stay, and it is only going to get more powerful. We need to learn how to use it to its maximum potential and for our benefit; if we don’t, we will get left behind.

 

So, consider this:

 

When we stand up in front of an audience, address our team, or appear on TV, often less than 10% of what we communicate is verbal. The rest, over 90%, is body language and tone of voice.

 

AI can certainly ‘help’ prepare the 10%; it should not be used to do it all.

 

Body language and tone of voice, our personality, emotions, and integrity, the very things that make us compelling, memorable, and credible, are not where AI can add value. What AI can do is free us up to maximise our personality, creativity, and impact in this 90% space.

 

I’m hugely looking forward to teaming up once again with Westco Communications to help more of our clients find their best voice. We live in challenging times when authentic leadership that can communicate clearly and credibly is more important than ever.

 

Harnessing the power of AI correctly will make us all more effective, but we must never forget that we are human first and last.

 

Interested in training on public speaking?
Contact simon@westcocommunications.com