Posted on: 17.02.2026
Over the past few months, one theme keeps surfacing in conversations with technology founders, communications leaders and investors. The way tech companies communicate, and the talent they need to do it, is changing faster than many teams realise. For years, tech communications centred on one core skill: telling the product story. Features, launches and user metrics were often enough to shape perception and build credibility. That era is ending.
AI Has Changed What the “Tech Story” Really Is
AI has fundamentally reshaped what the tech story means. It is no longer just about software. Instead, it is about compute power, data centres, energy consumption, supply chains and regulation. As a result, a talent gap is emerging inside many tech communications teams. Many companies still hire communicators who can explain what a product does. However, far fewer hire people who can explain what AI requires to operate in the real world, and what that means for reputation, risk and trust.
That now includes being able to communicate clearly:
- how AI infrastructure scales and the real-world implications of that growth
- why energy use, sustainability and regulation sit at the heart of reputation
- how to engage credibly with investors, regulators, local authorities and communities, not just users and journalists
The Growing Talent Gap in Tech Communications
The risk is not that the story is untold. Rather, it is that it is only told halfway. Increasingly, communications leaders are exposed in boardrooms, funding discussions and moments of public scrutiny. In many cases, their teams were not prepared for this level of complexity. Consequently, the result is reactive messaging, credibility gaps and avoidable reputational risk around issues now firmly in the public spotlight.
From Product Storytelling to Infrastructure, Policy and Reputation
By contrast, the most forward-thinking tech organisations are adapting. They are hiring hybrid communicators who understand infrastructure, policy, sustainability and capital markets. At the same time, they are investing in upskilling existing teams to meet the reality of AI-driven scrutiny.
In 2026, telling the tech story is not enough. Instead, organisations must be able to explain AI’s infrastructure, energy and industrial impact. Just as importantly, they must have the right talent to do it.
If you are a communications leader, founder or investor questioning whether your team is built for this next phase, that is a hiring conversation worth having. I work closely with tech organisations navigating this shift and am always happy to share what I am seeing in the market.
Rachel L’Estrange leads the global Tech desk at Hanson Search. She has a global remit and broad sector knowledge, making her an integral talent partner in building high-performance teams and advising on hiring strategies for permanent roles across communications, PR, corporate affairs, content, social and digital.
At Hanson Search, we work with technology businesses across the UK, Europe, USA and the UAE to build communications teams equipped for complex, regulated and infrastructure-led environments. If you are hiring or considering your next move, we would welcome a confidential conversation.
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