AI IS RESHAPING THE COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY, BRINGING BOTH OPPORTUNITY AND TENSION TO THE CEO-COMMS LEADER RELATIONSHIP, HARRISX-RAGAN SURVEY FINDS

AI Now Performs More Than Half of Communications Work in Nearly One-In-Three Organizations

CEOs Would Choose a Custom-Trained AI Tool Over a Professional Human Speechwriter

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 5th Annual HarrisX–Ragan Survey of Communications Leaders reveals insights from 400 CEOs and communications leaders on how the field is evolving and responding to new challenges and opportunities driven by AI adoption, shifting corporate voices, and changing dynamics of trust and control between CEOs and their communications teams.

"The communications industry is at an inflection point. Our annual HarrisX-Ragan survey of CEOs and communications leaders reveals that AI is reshaping the profession, with many senior leaders trusting custom-trained agents for some tasks more than their top experts. CEOs are also tightening control over messaging amid growing polarization and online backlash," said HarrisX CEO Dritan Nesho. "Together, these trends mark a fundamental shift in executives' confidence and their approach to communications—far deeper than efficiency gains and shifting priorities alone."

"We're at the precipice of something big," said Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications. "Leaders have deep trust in their communications teams, but they're also intrigued by the promise of AI. This is the moment for communicators to differentiate themselves from AI and emphasize the skills that technology can't replace: strategy, creativity and empathy. By balancing these skills with an embrace of the efficiency AI can offer, comms leaders can increase their value." 

Key highlights of the study include:

AI Is Reshaping How Comms Work Is Done and Many CEOs Want Even More

• 95% of organizations now use AI in communications work, 96% of whom report it has had a positive impact.
   
• 30% of organizations say more than half of communications work is already done by AI, and 55% expect that to be true by 2030.
   
• 57% of CEOs say they would choose a custom-trained AI tool to write an important speech over a top communications professional with no AI support.
   
• While 31% of CEOs believe AI-powered communications platforms will soon add more value than internal comms teams or external agencies, 42% expect AI to add more communications jobs.

CEOs Expect AI Skills to Define the Future of Communications, but Don't See It As Essential Yet

• 49% of CEOs say traditional communications skills will soon take a back seat to AI prompt engineering and data fluency.
   
• However, CEOs do not yet view AI and tech fluency as a top skill for communications leaders today — only 18% name it among the most valuable skills.
   
• Instead, CEOs rank strategic thinking (42%), creative problem-solving (40%), and staying calm under pressure (37%) as the most valuable communications leadership traits right now.

Comms Leaders See AI as a Trusted Partner, Not a Competitor

• 70% of comms leaders say AI enhances their ability to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.
   
• Only 13% worry that AI will replace their role and just 30% expect AI to have a negative impact on the number of communications jobs at large.
   
• 68% of comms leaders say AI will increase the value of internal teams by enabling more scalable, strategic services; 64% think AI will also increase the value of external agencies. 
   
• 63% of comms leaders believe AI will level the playing field and democratize great communications across all types of organizations and brands.

Corporate Voice: CEOs Are Pulling Back While Communicators Push to Speak Up More

• 58% of CEOs say their organizations speak up too often on social or political issues.
   
• 59% of communications leaders believe their companies should speak up more.
   
• 83% say their organization usually gets it right when deciding whether to comment publicly.
   
• Hiring announcements, community investments, and environmental initiatives rank among the safest topics for external communications.

Trust Between CEOs and Comms Leaders Is Strong but Control Remains with the CEO

• 83% of CEOs say they highly value their communications teams.
   
• 98% of CEOs say their communications leaders have sufficient access to them, and 92% of comms leaders agree.
   
• However, only 56% of CEOs say they always consult their communications leaders before making major external announcements, and 65% do so for important internal announcements.
   
• 74% of CEOs say they personally lead communications, yet only 20% of comms leaders say the function is directly overseen by the CEO.
   
• 74% of CEOs believe the communications department should report directly to them, but just 31% of comms leaders agree.

About the Study
The 5th Annual HarrisX–Ragan Survey of Communications Leaders was conducted online among 400 U.S. executives, including 125 CEOs and 275 communications leaders, between August and October 2025. The study explores how AI is transforming communications, how corporate voice is evolving, and how leadership dynamics between CEOs and communicators are shifting in the age of AI. The margin of error is ±4.9 percentage points for the overall sample.

About HarrisX
HarrisX, a Stagwell company, is a strategic research advisory firm that delivers clear, data-driven answers to our clients' most pressing questions. Powered by proprietary technology and a campaign-style approach, we move fast, cut through the noise, and surface insights that drive real-world impact. With offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, we advise Fortune 100 companies, public institutions, global leaders, NGOs, and philanthropic organizations. Named the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election by The Washington Post and the American Research Group, HarrisX doesn't just deliver data — we deliver confident decisions.

About Ragan Communications
Ragan Communications has been delivering trusted news, training and intelligence for more than 60 years to internal and external communicators, HR professionals and business leaders. Its daily news sites, PRDaily.com and Ragan.com, are read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators monthly. Ragan's Communications Leadership Council is one of the fastest-growing membership groups for communications executives, and its conferences, webinars and workshops are attended by more than 5,000 communicators a year. Ragan Training is the leading learning portal among communicators, offering more than 800 hours of training and development for communicators. Ragan is also the producer of Communications Week, which is held each November. Headquartered in Chicago, with team members spanning the country and loyal customers worldwide. 

SOURCE HarrisX