AI in Action: We're all using AI now, but are we any good at it?
Nearly 40% of us use AI more than 20 times a week, and that’s just for work!
By Megan Thomas, Director, Buzz Communications Australia
40% was the top answer when we polled the room at IABC NSW’s AI in Action, held at the fab Canva office in Sydney in July 2026. At the same time, the pace of AI makes it hard to keep up, and organisations are not yet seeing much ROI.
So, we’re well past deciding whether to use AI. The question now is what good looks like. Together with Asha Oberoi and Joy Lu, panel host Mione Collins asked the three of us to share examples of how we’re using it.
🚨 Executive Crisis Communication: I showed how AI can improve executive communication in a crisis. It doesn’t replace communicators; it equips them to coach leaders with data-backed insights on how messages are likely to be received across different stakeholder groups, assess and measure the result.
🤖 Strategic Thinking Partner: Asha introduced us to her AI agent, “Bob”, live on the panel. She showed us how she uses Bob as her strategic thinking partner. He even answered a few audience questions. I loved how Asha framed AI use as beginning and ending with a human, rather than the reductive “human in the loop”.
🔄 Change Impact Assessment: Joy shared the change-sizing tool she built with AI at Canva: five questions for stakeholders to self-assess how complex a change is and whether internal comms needs to step in. It means requests no longer bottleneck their small team. Instead, stakeholders from anywhere in the business are empowered with resources to get on with it.
🙋We’re all still learning
Of course, we’re all still learning, and it was fascinating to hear the different ways everyone in the room was using AI. The audience questions were a highlight too, proving there are no simple answers:
How do we keep our judgement sharp enough to judge AI’s work?
Are we now writing for AI agents as well as humans?
And where is all this data going, from wearable recorders to facial recognition on traffic cameras?
💡Tips & Takeaways
Here are my favourites:
Judgement and critical thinking, above all: evaluate input and output, hold the professional standard, be transparent about AI use, know when not to use AI.
Learning AI is crucial, but our experience still counts. It’s the only way to be a good judge of AI’s work.
Don’t stop at one-off prompts; build repeatable processes and workflows, try different AI models and modes: e.g. voice and “skills”.
Treat AI adoption as change management. Organisations are pouring millions into tools while underinvesting in the trust, training and communication that make them work.
“Don’t yell at AI, because it’s probably you.” Joy made us laugh with recognition (guilty!). So when AI is not doing what you want it to, redo the brief and give it better direction.
Communicators have an advantage: AI models use natural language. Briefing them well requires good language skills, our home ground.
Thank you
Thank you IABC NSW for putting practicality ahead of hype, especially Mione Collins and Hallie Donkin for hosting the panel and managing an excellent event. Thanks also to Canva for having us, and my fellow panellists Asha and Joy. And thanks to everyone who came along — I really enjoyed the conversations and learning from you all.
❓Want to know how your AI skills stack up? I’ve spentthe last few years researching AI capabilities for comms professionals and the skills we need to master. Message me on LinkedIn or email megan@buzzcomms.com.au.
How I made this article 👩+🤖
Briefed Claude using my notes
Used an AI writing skill I've trained on my own work
Reviewed and edited the draft
Used Claude to check spelling and punctuation
Final review by me