The remit of the internal communicator is expanding rapidly. With hybrid working and offshore staff, we face the challenge of engaging diverse workforces, fostering culture and sharing information via predominantly digital channels.
Fortunately, the rise of large language models (LLMs) offers promising tools to augment internal communicators' capabilities. This article compares three leading LLMs – ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini (nee Bard) – their strengths and weaknesses, and potential impact on key internal communication tasks.
1. Security
As internal communication specialists are often dealing with sensitive company information, security should be a top priority. Both AI tools offer distinct approaches.
ChatGPT and Google Gemini operate outside corporate environments, presenting potential risks around data leaks and unauthorised access. While they undergo regular security audits, this external accessibility inherently carries higher risk which has led to some corporations like Samsung making their use a firing offence.
Copilot, on the other hand, is accessed within your company’s Microsoft 365 environment, leveraging Microsoft’s robust security features. Access to internal data requires explicit permissions, making it a more secure option for sensitive content.
2. Capabilities
Copilot's broad and customisable capabilities are likely to have mass appeal, while ChatGPT and Gemini's strong communication features will likely resonate with content creators and communication specialists. Here are some specific examples.
I. Understanding Employee Needs and Sentiment:
Empathy is the cornerstone of effective communication. But gauging employee sentiment across a large organisation can be challenging. Here's how the generative AI options fare:
ChatGPT: Boasts impressive natural language processing abilities, analysing employee surveys, emails and social media discussions to identify recurring themes and sentiment. However, its reliance on publicly available data might not capture internal nuances.
Microsoft Copilot: Integrates with existing communication platforms like Microsoft Teams and Viva, directly analysing internal conversations and documents. This deeper access potentially provides more accurate insights but raises privacy concerns.
Google Gemini: Leverages its vast factual knowledge to understand industry trends and external factors affecting employee sentiment. It can then combine this with internal data (if authorised) to offer valuable context and suggest communication strategies.
II. Sharing Relevant Information in an Engaging Way:
Keeping employees informed and engaged is crucial. LLMs can assist in crafting compelling content for various channels.
ChatGPT: Excels at generating creative text formats like blog posts, emails, and even scripts for internal videos. Its focus on user engagement leads to dynamic content, although some human fact-checking is probably a good idea.
Microsoft Copilot: With the right supporting data, Copilot can help draft tailored messages based on individual employee profiles and preferences. Copilot could also be very helpful in summarising long email trails, distilling the relevant information to communicate succinctly. Importantly, Copilot can draft communications that adhere to established brand guidelines and values, saving editing time.
Google Gemini: Offers data-driven insights to personalise content. It can identify industry trends and suggest communication approaches proven effective in similar situations, ensuring messages resonate with the target audience. It’s also now possible to directly ask Gemini for images to better explain concepts and bring them to life.
Google seems to have a stronger understanding of regional topics, as well as recent issues. ChatGPT on the other hand has a stronger understanding of logic, writing style and complex problems.
- BBC Science Focus
III. Crisis Management:
Effective crisis communication requires speed and accuracy. LLMs can support in:
ChatGPT: Analyses external news sources and social media to monitor potential crises and anticipate employee concerns. Its speed allows for early preparation and proactive communication however the free version can’t deal with concepts that are too recent.
Microsoft Copilot: Generates draft crisis communication messages tailored to specific audiences and stakeholders. Its integration with internal platforms facilitates rapid dissemination of information.
Google Gemini: Offers historical context and factual analysis related to the crisis, helping craft credible and informative messages to mitigate misinformation and reduce employee anxiety. Gemini could tell you who the current UK prime minster was, whereas ChatGPT could not.
3. Integration
Integration is crucial for a smooth workflow. Microsoft Copilot seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, offering suggestions directly within your work interface and surfacing relevant information from other Microsoft applications. Need to send out an internal release on the latest company policy? Let Copilot access this policy for you and craft what you need.
ChatGPT and Gemini currently operate as standalone platforms, requiring context switching and manual data transfer.
Copilot's current integration with familiar tools offers a clear advantage for Microsoft users.
4. Cost
Cost is a consideration for any workplace tool. Originally offered to enterprises who could afford thousands of dollars per month for a minimum of 300 users, Microsoft Copilot is now available to businesses up to 299 seats on a US$30 per month subscription (AUD $44.90). Microsoft Copilot, formerly Bing Chat, is available for free.
ChatGPT offers free and paid tiers. If you require accessibility tasks like describing images to the visually impaired or ingesting long (25,000+ words) documents to create video scripts or training materials, you might have to shell out the USD$20/month for ChatGPT4.
Gemini is free, for now.
To help with internal communications, how critical is it to access paid features versus what can be created using free versions? List your essential capabilities and their frequency to build a business case.
The Verdict
While workplace AI solutions offer exciting possibilities, it's crucial to manage expectations. They are not replacements for human expertise and judgment but tools to augment internal communicators' capabilities, enabling them to work faster, smarter, and more effectively.
No single AI solution is a silver bullet. The optimal choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and data privacy concerns.
By understanding the strengths and limitations of each option, internal communicators can act with greater agility and clarity, supporting informed employees, strong company culture, and resilience in the face of challenges.