Gen AI Use Rises to 80% Among APAC Media and Communications Professionals, Industry Report Reveals
‘The 2024 Gen AI x Comms Industry Impact Report’ charts media and communications professionals’ fast-evolving relationship with generative AI (Gen AI) in their work.
This year’s 41-page report produced by Media Collateral in partnership with State of Digital Publishing (SODP) documents an industry in a state of flux, with adoption, use cases, fears, hopes and frustrations rapidly evolving since the inaugural report in December 2023.
Snapshot Findings
- SEO Disruption: 76% of respondents believe Gen AI will significantly disrupt or even make SEO obsolete, highlighting the need for adaptation in the digital landscape.
- Increased Adoption and Deeper Integration: Gen AI adoption has risen to 80% in 2024, with a significant shift towards full integration into daily tasks (from 18% in 2023 to 24% in 2024).
- Future of Work Optimism: Fears of job losses have subsided. 22% of respondents now believe Gen AI will create more job opportunities, a 12% increase from 2023.
- Shifting Sentiments: Marketers’ initial enthusiasm has tempered, with many scaling back from deep integration and returning to the experimentation phase. In contrast, journalists show signs of overcoming initial resistance to Gen AI, with a significant increase in the exploration phase (from 15% to 33%).
- Evolving Use Cases: Content generation remains the primary use case, but there’s a notable surge in using Gen AI for video and design creation, as well as more tactical applications, such as audience sentiment analysis and predictive content targeting.
- Persistent Challenges: Fear of inaccuracies (72%) and ethical concerns (50%) remain top challenges, underscoring the need for responsible AI governance and transparency.
Authors’ Insights
Andrew Thompson, Lead Author, Manager and Editorial & Research, Media Collateral said the latest study provides an important snapshot of the impact of Gen AI on the industry, while providing the opportunity to benchmark sentiments and document the evolving nature of the shift. “While usage has increased, we can see that some of the immediate hype—both hopes and fears—has settled as the tech’s practicalities and limitations become clearer. However, it’s evident the industry is bracing for substantial evolutions that will further alter the landscape. Some are expected to democratise and enhance human connection, while others threaten to cause misinformation and division.”
Vahe Arabian, Co-Author and Founder & Director, SODP said media and communications professionals must stay proactive, focusing on integrating market-oriented information to navigate shifts. “We hope the Gen AI x Comms Impact Report provides a valuable resource in this regard. By offering practical examples and benchmarks, we aim to help professionals apply Gen AI tools effectively to maximise the potential of these technologies.”
Industry Contributors
This report includes qualitative insights from a diverse range of APAC media and communications professionals, providing unique perspectives and actionable insights.
- Binoy Prabhakar – Chief Content Officer, Hindustan Times Digital
- Scott Purcell – Co-founder, Man of Many
- Dr Lisa Dethridge – Senior Research Fellow, RMIT University & Media & Technology Academic
- Jaemark Tordecilla – Nieman ’24 Fellow, Harvard University
- Rachel Chitra – Journalism Consultant, TrueInfo Labs
- Karen Rebelo – Deputy Editor, BOOM Live
- Alicia Kokocinski – General Manager – Marketing & Communications, Equity Trustees
- Josh Mann – Senior Art Director, Consultant
- Shreya Kapdi – Founder, SAVAI
Survey Overview
Conducted from April to July 2024, the digital survey received 301 respondents across Asia Pacific, consisting of journalists, marketers, PR practitioners, content creators, and advertisers.
Content from our partners
Access the Report and Q&A Industry Webinar
Download the full report and find details of the upcoming Q&A webinar here.
