The picture about AI painted by BCG’s latest research isn’t a pretty one for corporate affairs and communications leaders. Its blunt message is that while CEOs are doubling down on AI, most corporate affairs and communications leaders are seriously falling behind.
BCG’s survey of more than 200 senior comms leaders at large companies in the UK and US found a widening disconnect between the C‑suite and corporate communications. More than 70% of CEOs now act as primary AI decision‑makers, while 68% CCOs describe their own function as an AI laggard.
This is not because AI lacks relevance to communications. On the contrary, BCG ranks corporate affairs and communications among the top two enterprise functions for GenAI transformation potential, with material productivity gains available across core tasks and processes.
BCG research finds corporate affairs and communications can garner productivity gains of 26% to 36% at the task level (for example, drafting a post for social media) and 34% to 47% at the process level (for example, coordinating a social media campaign), once foundational capabilities are in place. Those sort of productivity gains can only be realised if there is a clear plan and roadmap for AI adoption.
The problem is execution. Most teams are stuck in pilots or experimentation, failing to capture even task‑level productivity gains, let alone process‑level transformation. More than 60% of CCOs plan to invest less than 10% of their functional budget in AI, and 88% say they are not fully prepared to lead an AI transformation.
The biggest barriers we see are a lack of time and expertise. This is compounded by the fact many CCOs don’t have a budget line for AI adoption and transformation. There is a reluctance to reallocate existing budgets, despite the potential for productivity gains to make those budgets work harder.
BCG identifies operating‑model weaknesses, limited AI skills and constrained budgets as the main blockers. As a result, a small minority of “AI leader” comms teams are pulling decisively ahead, scaling AI into real workflows, demonstrating value to leadership, and investing heavily in upskilling. But the majority of CCOs risk losing credibility and influence over time.
Nearly three-quarters of communications leaders say they believe in AI’s potential and payoff.
BCG’s conclusion is that AI is no longer a side project for corporate communications; it is a leadership test. The report sets out a clear agenda for CCOs: map workflows before buying or using tools; redesign operating models; reinvest freed capacity, and upskill teams at pace.
Those who put the foundations in place now—governance, skills and scaled integration—will shape how corporate affairs and communications evolves. Those who delay will find that the AI gap quickly becomes an influence gap as they rapidly lose credibility with internal stakeholders and the C-suite.
Our CommsTransform™ IDEA framework does exactly what BCG recommends for successful AI adoption. Talk to us today to find out how we can help you ensure you aren’t one of those failing CCOs identified by BCG. Our team knows how corporate affairs, public relations and communications work meaning we can understand how to map your workflows and rapidly recommend how to achieve measurable outcomes from AI adoption.
