I brought together three seasoned communicators—Tim Weinheimer, Greg Kihlström, and Eric Gilbertsen—for a conversation with Georgetown students about AI in Communications.
What unfolded wasn’t just a discussion about digital tools. It was a clear snapshot of where our profession stands right now: excited, skeptical, and determined to keep humans at the center of this technology shift.
Here are six takeaways that stuck with me and will help shape how I teach, lead, and practice AI-involved communication going forward.
1. Prompting is a Strategy Exercise, Not a Trick
AI doesn’t reward shortcuts; it rewards clarity of thought. As Mr. Kihlströmput it, prompting forces us to “think through things more fully than we might have before.” The best communicators aren’t those who can out-prompt others; rather, they’re the ones who know exactly what they’re trying to achieve before they ever open ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Prompting is strategic planning in micro form.
2. Efficiency Without Validation Is Just Speeding Toward Error
We all love how fast AI can draft, summarize, or analyze, but that efficiency can create a false sense of confidence. I reminded students that AI hallucinates. Fake citations happen, so you can’t stop verifying. Speed only matters if the information is right. In the AI era, fact-checking is a non-negotiable communications skill.
3. Transparency Can Be Built by Design
Mr. Kihlström coined a phrase that sums up where ethical communications is headed: transparency by design. Instead of treating disclosure as a checkbox (“This was generated by AI”), make transparency a structural part of your workflow. Tell audiences how you use AI and why; not because it’s required, but because it builds trust.
4. Guardrails Make Innovation Possible
Mr. Weinheimer shared how his agency rolled out AI safely by creating an internal manifesto, working with cybersecurity and legal teams, and defining “swim lanes” for employees. Guardrails aren’t just bureaucracy; they’re the foundation that lets teams experiment confidently. Innovation moves faster when people know where the boundaries are.
5. Ethics Starts With Data and Humans Stay Accountable
Every panelist returned to one theme: data privacy and bias are communication issues, not just tech issues. From protecting personal information in healthcare campaigns to avoiding biased training data, communicators have to stay close to the process. Or as Mr. Gilbertsen put it, “Do we owe it to our audiences to disclose when creative works are made with AI?” The answer: yes.
6. The Future Isn’t AI vs. Humans… It’s AI with Humans
When I asked where AI is taking our field, Mr. Gilbertsen described a pendulum between the technological and the human. Greg predicted that in five years, we won’t even use the term AI; it will simply be how we work. The consensus: the communicators who thrive will be those who use these tools to amplify empathy, creativity, and human connection, not replace them.
Closing Thought
AI can help us do that faster, but not better, unless we stay intentional. That’s the work ahead of us. This expert panel discussion reminded me of something simple: Technology doesn’t redefine the purpose of communication, it just changes the pace and the possibilities. Our job remains the same as ever: earn trust, tell the truth, and connect people to ideas that matter.
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Matthew Heim
Matthew Heim is an adjunct instructor in the Master’s in Public Relations & Corporate Communications program at Georgetown University, where he teaches courses in digital strategy, marketing, and communications planning, and mentors students in their final capstone projects. He also serves as chief of digital strategy at a federal government agency, bringing experience across media, consulting, and global PR.