How to Upskill and Reskill Your Communications Team for AI: A Strategic Guide for Leaders

AI is here, and most employees are not ready for it. Just look at LinkedIn, where many conversations around AI in communications are still centred on how to spot who is using AI and forming AI resistance groups. It is changing daily, but I still find these conversations baffling. Shouldn't we be focused on learning AI quickly?

The numbers show that AI is here, and its presence will continue to grow in the coming years. I was pleasantly surprised by a report by Databricks that showed that 10,000 large companies worldwide already use AI on a large scale, including 300 of the Fortune 500 companies. Still, the question is whether employers are prioritizing AI training for employees.

Communications, once viewed as a discipline required for storytelling and relationship building, is quickly becoming a data-informed, tech-augmented discipline, made better by human emotional intelligence. As AI tools gain ground, the question for communications leaders is this: How will they prepare their teams for it? The answer lies in strategic upskilling and reskilling.

The Difference Between Upskilling and Reskilling (and Why It Matters)

Upskilling means building on the skills employees already have—making them better at their current roles or preparing them for future responsibilities on the same path.

Reskilling, on the other hand, means teaching people entirely new skills so they can shift into different roles altogether, especially as some jobs are redefined or phased out by AI.

Why does this matter?

Because not everyone needs the same learning journey. Some teams need deeper expertise. Others need a whole new map. Understanding the difference helps leaders plan smarter, support more effectively, and avoid one-size-fits-all training programs that fall flat.

Why Upskilling and Reskilling Are Non-Negotiable

AI brings a seismic shift in the way we communicate. It impacts every area of communications: media monitoring, content creation, reputation management, internal communications, and stakeholder engagement. Consider:

• ChatGPT, Jasper, and Writer can draft press releases, speeches, and social posts in seconds.

• Predictive analytics can forecast public sentiment and guide campaign strategy.

• AI-powered chatbots can handle employee and customer inquiries 24/7.

Communications professionals who don't evolve risk obsolescence. According to a 2024 McKinsey report, international employees receive far more support to learn AI skills than their U.S. counterparts.

The report says up to 84 percent of international employees say they get full support to learn AI skills, while only half of US employees say they receive support for AI training. For leaders, the challenge is clear: enable their teams to learn AI or risk being left behind.

And that means more than agreeing to include Microsoft Copilot into the communications toolkit. There are so many more tools available to help companies move at the dizzying speed of information today.

The Skills Gap: What Communications Professionals Need

Many communicators excel at the "human" side of the job but lack confidence in data, tech, and AI applications. Upskilling and reskilling efforts must address these gaps strategically. Here’s where the focus should be:

AI Literacy

Team members don’t need to become data scientists, but they do need to:

• Understand generative AI vs. predictive AI

• Recognize AI’s limitations (e.g., bias, hallucination, privacy concerns)

• Evaluate AI tool outputs critically

Fluency

AI is powered by data. Communications teams must be able to:

• Read dashboards and analytics

• Use insights to inform strategy

• Collaborate with data and IT teams

Tool Proficiency

• Generative AI platforms

• AI-integrated media monitoring (like Meltwater, Cision)

• Visualization software (Tableau, Power BI)

  
  

Strategic Application

AI should help achieve business goals. Leaders must help their teams:

• Use AI in campaign planning and evaluation

• Enhance crisis readiness with simulations and scenario modelling

• Align AI use with corporate voice and values

Case Study: Lessons from a Fortune 500 Communications Team

While I can’t name the company for confidentiality reasons, a real-world example from a Fortune 500 healthcare organization illustrates the power of AI upskilling.

In 2023, the company faced a reputational crisis due to misinformation spreading online. Traditionally, their response time lagged due to manual monitoring and approvals. But thanks to a recent AI upskilling initiative, the communications team had adopted:

• AI-driven social listening tools for real-time alerts

• Prompting techniques for generative AI to draft holding statements

• Scenario planning models enhanced with predictive analytics

Their response time dropped by 60 percent, and sentiment recovered within a week. Instead of eroding trust, the crisis became a proof point of their agility and transparency.

Building an AI-Ready Communications Team

Upskilling and reskilling should not be one-off events. They must be embedded in the team culture and L&D (learning and development) roadmap. Here’s a framework for leaders:

Identify knowledge gaps

1. Use diagnostic surveys or self-assessments to benchmark readiness

2. Identify knowledge gaps

3. Use diagnostic surveys or self-assessments to benchmark readiness

Design tiered learning paths

1. Foundational: For general awareness and literacy

2. Applied: For integrating AI into daily work

3. Strategic: For shaping vision, governance, and policy

Invest in experiential learning

1. Host experimentation labs

2. Run internal "promptathons

3. Encourage projects with data teams

Partner with L&D and IT

1. Embed AI in training curricula

2. Ensure secure access to tools

3. Clarify data policies and AI governance

Recognize and Reward Growth

1. Offer internal certifications or badges

2. Tie learning milestones to performance goals

3. Celebrate experimentation and innovation

Overcoming Resistance: Change Management for AI Adoption

Resistance is natural - but manageable. Many fear replacement, creative loss, or simply not keeping up.

Leaders must:

• Communicate the vision: Show how AI reduces drudge work and elevates strategic focus.

• Reinforce psychological safety: Experimentation must feel safe.

• Clarify the evolution of roles: Communicators aren’t being replaced—they’re being reimagined.

  
  

Pilot projects are a great way to build confidence.

Try:

• Using AI to summarize meeting notes

• Drafting internal communications with an AI first pass

• Analyzing employee sentiment

  
  

When senior communications leaders model this curiosity and transparency, it builds momentum across the team.

The Future of Work in Communications

AI’s role will only grow more sophisticated. In the next few years, expect:

• Hyper-personalized internal communications

• Real-time executive briefings curated by AI

• Predictive reputation modelling

  
  

The communications professionals who thrive won’t be those who cling to old workflows. They will be the ones who lead transformation with empathy and clarity.

Practical Takeaways for Leaders

• Start now: The AI wave is already here. Don’t wait.

• Make it strategic: Tie upskilling to business outcomes like reputation resilience or engagement.

• Lead with empathy: Normalize fear, support growth, build safety.

• Keep it human: Use AI to elevate the human, not replace it.

  
  

Final Thoughts

AI is changing the rules of engagement in communications. But with the right mindset and a structured approach to upskilling and reskilling, communications leaders can turn disruption into opportunity. More than ever, your team needs a compass - and you can be the one to provide it.

Ready to future-proof your communications team? Let's talk about how a tailored AI training strategy can empower your people and protect your brand. Contact me here and press Contact Us. © 2025 CommsPro. Some rights reserved. This content may be shared with attribution and a link to www.commspro.ca.