Using AI to help build storylines for different stakeholder groups

Anyone who works in communications knows the challenge: The same project or change needs to be explained to completely different audiences.

Senior leaders want the strategic vision, subject matter experts want the technical detail, and frontline staff want to know one simple thing—what does this mean for our customers?

Crafting multiple storylines from the same information can be time-consuming. This is where company-approved AI can be surprisingly useful.

Company-approved AI tools can help communicators quickly generate tailored storylines for different stakeholder groups. By prompting the system with a clear description of the initiative and the audience, such as executives, employees, regulators, or customers, AI can draft messages that highlight the most relevant themes for each group.

For example, an executive narrative might emphasise strategic outcomes and risk management, while a staff storyline might focus on practical changes to day-to-day work.

Another advantage is speed. AI can produce multiple versions of a storyline in seconds, helping communicators test different framing approaches. This can be particularly helpful during large transformation programs, regulatory remediation work, or organisational change initiatives where messaging must evolve quickly.

AI can also help structure thinking. If you ask it to generate a narrative arc, such as “problem, response, and outcome”, it can provide a useful starting point for building a communications framework.

Many professionals use it to draft stakeholder matrices, message maps, or town hall talking points.

However, AI is not a silver bullet! One of the main risks is that the content can sound generic or overly polished. Communications written entirely by AI may lack the nuance, institutional knowledge, and emotional intelligence needed for sensitive topics.

There is also the risk of inaccuracies if the AI misunderstands context or invents details. For regulated organisations or complex programs, human review is essential.

Another limitation is tone. AI can generate messages, but it cannot fully understand organisational culture, politics, or stakeholder sensitivities. What works for one audience may land poorly with another if the language isn’t carefully adapted.

For communicators looking to use AI effectively, a few practical tips can help:

1. Treat AI as a brainstorming partner rather than a final author. Use it to generate structure, options, or message angles, then refine the content yourself and/or with your peers, subject matter experts and leaders.

2. Provide clear prompts that specify the stakeholder group, objective, and tone. The more context you provide, the better the output.

3. Always fact-check and edit the results to ensure accuracy and authenticity.

Used thoughtfully, AI can become a valuable assistant for communications professionals, helping to shape stakeholder storylines faster while leaving the most important work, judgement and empathy, firmly in human hands.

Are you considering experimenting with AI on your next project? Try starting small, ask it to help structure a message map or draft alternative storylines for different audiences. You may find it saves you time, sparks ideas and helps you communicate more effectively.

Please remember to always use AI tools that are approved by your organisation and follow your company’s policies regarding data security, confidentiality, and responsible technology use.

About Victoria Hall

Victoria believes that great communication has the power to change the world. She's passionate about helping organisations to lift their profiles, inspire action and achieve remarkable results by crafting and delivering their stories and messages in a clear, compelling and persuasive way. If you've got a question about communications, you can contact Victoria here or connect with her on LinkedIn.