How AI is changing the way we use social media

By Krista Davidson, CMP

Krista Davidson examines the impact of rapidly evolving generative AI technology on social media and the challenges for communicators who create content for various platforms.

When ChatGPT, a form of generative AI, sprung onto the scene at the end of 2022, it attracted more than 100 million users in its first month alone, becoming one of the fastest-growing consumer applications in history. Using natural language processing, the chatbot could create engaging and humanistic content with just a few text, image or video prompts. Today, ChatGPT is one of the most transformative tools used for social media.

The evolution of generative AI and dozens of other sophisticated machine learning tools, including Canva, Otter AI, Audiense, Grammerly, are evidence of the growing value of leveraging AI to create, edit, design, schedule, monitor and analyze our channels. But understanding how AI is rapidly changing the way we use social media and engage with our audiences can help communicators navigate this evolving world with success.

Putting the user first

When social media channels like MySpace and Facebook became popular in the early 2000s, it didn’t take long for companies to use them to advance their marketing and communications efforts. Social media opened a portal for individuals, businesses and brands to connect in a two-way exchange with their customers. It gave brands greater visibility and allowed companies to be part of the conversation in a meaningful way.

It has never been easier for organizations to rapidly produce engaging, relevant and customized content for their growing list of social media channels. A 2024 study by Deloitte discovered that at least 41 per cent of marketing, sales and customer service organizations have adopted generative AI — a figure that will continue to grow.

Many platforms have tweaked their algorithms over the years to prioritize the user experience. If you were to browse the accounts of two individuals, you’d likely see very different content in their feeds. This makes it more challenging for businesses to connect with their desired audience because they don’t understand what their audience desires. Over time, some communicators may find they’ve “outgrown” their usual channels and will search for platforms that are growing in both popularity and efficiency.Each channel has their own unique parameters determining what makes content relevant, including geographic location, the timing of the post and the perceived entertainment value or relevancy of a post. For example, Facebook bases its content on people and pages that users directly follow. Users who watch more videos get access to more videos than those who don’t watch videos. Tik Tok tends to surface new content rather than what your followers are engaging with. Understanding each channel’s quirks and how they evolve over time is a must.

Getting Personal

Thanks to AI, users have greater expectations of the brands and companies they interact with. According to Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer report, 73 per cent of consumers expect companies to be in tune with their unique needs and interact with them in a personalized way. Many brands have capitalized on this in creative ways. By tailoring content to the preferences and needs of the user, companies can “hook” their stakeholders in a meaningful way which will increase the likelihood of users viewing and interacting with future posts.

How accurate is generative AI?

With its relatively low barrier to entry, generative AI has enabled communicators to develop more relevant content quicker, but how accurate is it? While ChatGPT claims to be accurate 88.7 per cent of the time, the accuracy of other generative AI tools that are exploding onto the market are less known. In some cases, generative AI tools will struggle to find the true answer in a sea of false or conflicting information. For example, if asked “who is the Queen of England?”, many generative AI tools will struggle to answer but also understand there to be conflicting answers and outdated . This makes the role of the communicator critical to oversee the use of AI in generating social media content.

Generative AI tools tend to waver in accuracy when faced with data that is continuing to evolve or is considered more recent. It can also be impacted by bad actors whose intention is to produce false information on the web and through social media for the purpose of spreading misinformation. The University of Oxford explored the accuracy of generative AI chatbots responses to questions asked about the 2024 UK general election and found that although some chatbots were able to answer accurately, in many cases, the chatbots refused to answer or answered incorrectly.

The impact of AI on trust and perception

AI and specifically, generative AI tools, can complement the work of the communicator in boosting their social media channels, but they come with potential red flags. As AI technologies become more sophisticated and prevalent, so too will the ability of bad actors in manipulating these tools for harm. The rise of AI has raised concerns around the globe around privacy issues and how algorithms use, or misuse data obtained through social media channels.

The use of generative AI in content creation to tailor more personalized content can backfire as more users begin to question the authenticity of the accounts and brands they are interacting with. A question to ask yourself is, what might my audience think if they knew all the content developed was produced by a chatbot?

For example, Shadow bans, a subtle form of content suppression, have recently emerged as a growing concern for social media accounts. Shadow bans occur when a platform ‘hides’ your content from users if it deems your account is breaching rules of social media etiquette (i.e., spamming users with unwanted content, abusive content or content that is against a platform’s guidelines). Accounts remain active but are hidden in the shadows and not visible by users. A shadow ban is the death knell for companies looking to grow audiences and KPIs through social media. There are also concerns that shadow bans may be used by bad actors to create information gaps — preferring to promote and make visible, content backed by revenue as opposed to posts that contain accurate, important and topical information for users.

It’ll become increasingly important for communicators to monitor trends that may impact their social channels. These issues shouldn’t dissuade the communicator from exploring new tools in social media. The tools are there to make the work easier and more strategic. In a society driven by technological innovation, keeping on top of these channels and how the AI that are powering them is evolving will be a critical and necessary component of the communicator’s job.