AI’s Impact on In-house Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs – Talent, Leadership and Industry Insights from Jonas Rex-Quincke at ZVEI e.V. 

AI is transforming the way communications, marketing and public affairs teams work. But what does it mean for organisations, leaders and the future of work? In our latest series, we speak with senior communications leaders to explore the opportunities and challenges.In this interview, Barbara Ozanon, Associate Partner and Head of Europe at Hanson Search, speaks with Jonas Rex-Quincke, Senior Manager Electrification & Climate at ZVEI e.V., about how AI is being applied within an industry association. Jonas shares how it supports content creation, research and concept development, why networking and trust remain essential, and his advice for using AI responsibly. 

How are you using AI in your work?  

We use AI mainly for text creation, but only when working from trusted sources. That could be a newsletter, an expert article, or a curated set of texts that we feed into a large language model. From there, we use it for sparring, text optimisation and research support, checking which sources the model references and whether it can surface any we haven’t considered. I also use AI as a sparring partner for concepts. If I’m planning an event or drafting a LinkedIn post, I’ll put my ideas into the tool to challenge them or suggest alternative angles.  

Has AI changed the profiles or skills you look for when hiring?  

Not yet. As an association, we’re more conservative and I believe it will take time before AI skills become part of our recruitment criteria. That said, I can see it becoming a differentiator. If two equally qualified candidates apply, the one with strong AI skills might have an advantage. For now, we’re focusing on responsible use, with internal processes and training to roll this out gradually.  

Has AI influenced your team structure or use of contractors?  

Not significantly, as each team uses AI in a way that they believe adds the most value. However, one small change is that for quick, informal graphics, AI can now produce something usable without relying on our in-house design team or external suppliers. In future, I could see us hiring external trainers to provide targeted AI skills to staff.  

Do you see AI as the biggest driver of change in public affairs?  

It’s a significant factor, but it won’t replace everything. It’s already changing the writing process, as those who know how to use AI effectively can produce client-ready text more quickly. I also expect monitoring to evolve, with tools eventually able to summarise a parliamentary speech and automatically create tailored versions for different stakeholders. This could cut the time junior staff spend on monitoring and free them to focus on other priorities. That said, human oversight remains essential. You need to understand your policy field and verify AI outputs for accuracy and context. I also expect networking skills to become even more important. Ultimately, trust is built in person, not through machine-generated text.  

Has AI changed how you measure the impact of public affairs?  

The impact of public affairs is hard to measure objectively, and AI doesn’t change that. What has changed is how I value certain information sources. Knowing how easily AI can generate opinion pieces makes me more discerning about their impact. I find myself relying more on trusted experts in my network, especially those who post concise, accurate updates on platforms like LinkedIn.  

Where could AI bring real change but hasn’t yet?  

AI could already be used to speed up everyday work, such as writing texts, processing information, and producing summaries. However, in many organisations, the necessary framework and training aren’t yet in place. There’s also a potential downside: people taking AI outputs at face value without verifying the facts. I’ve seen how easily these tools can “hallucinate,” and it’s important to maintain a critical eye.  

What advice would you give to leaders introducing AI into their teams?    

First, train your people. They need to understand compliance, the risk of hallucinations and the legal and practical limits of AI. Second, provide tools that are in line with GDPR and company policies instead of relying on free versions.  Third, remember that people, networks and strategy still matter most. AI can support you, but it can’t replace those fundamentals.  

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my personal views and are not made on behalf of ZVEI or any of its members.  

Whether you’re hiring top Public Affairs talent or considering your next career move, our team would be delighted to support you.

Barbara Ozanon is European Head of Public Affairs and Communications, combining multilingual expertise and deep local market knowledge to deliver exceptional talent solutions.

Hanson Search is a globally recognised, award-winning talent advisory and headhunting consultancy. Our expertise lies in building successful ventures worldwide through our recruitment, interim and executive search in communications, sustainability, public affairs and policy, digital marketing, and sales.