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Creative Ways to Use AI for Member Communications
By: Jon Stuckey, Segal Benz, a member of the Segal family
Public retirement systems often need to convey intricate and detailed information about benefits in member communications. This article discusses how embracing generative AI in member communications offers a wealth of opportunities to enhance engagement, clarity, and efficiency.
This is an excerpt from NCPERS Winter 2025 issue of PERSist.
In the ever-evolving landscape of member communications, public retirement systems constantly seek new and innovative ways to engage their members. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its vast capabilities, offers an exciting frontier for transforming how we communicate complex benefits information. As benefits administrators, understanding and applying these cutting-edge tools can significantly enhance the quality and efficiency of our communications.
Generating Ideas and Brainstorming
Generative AI can be an invaluable partner in the ideation process. By inputting a few keywords or concepts, AI can generate a multitude of ideas for newsletters, postcards, emails, or intranet posts. This can be particularly useful during brainstorming sessions, offering fresh perspectives and creative angles. AI can provide outlines, headlines, and even ready-to-use content snippets, which accelerates the content creation process and brings dynamic and engaging ideas to our benefits and communications teams.
Simplifying the Complex and Cumbersome
Public retirement systems often need to convey intricate and detailed information about benefits, which can be overwhelming for members. Generative AI can play a pivotal role in simplifying complex content. AI tools can summarize lengthy documents, highlight key points, and translate technical jargon into plain language that's easy to understand. For example, AI-driven language models like Microsoft's Copilot can transform a dense policy document into a concise and reader-friendly article, helping members to easily grasp essential information.
Creating Content
One of the most significant advantages of generative AI is its ability to efficiently create high-quality content. AI can draft comprehensive articles, FAQs, and personalized messages tailored to individual member profiles. Most AI engines can create good first-draft content that can then be validated and edited accordingly. For instance, if a retirement system needs to update its members about new regulatory changes, AI can quickly generate content that explains the changes, their implications, and any actions required from the members.
Improving Customer Service
Generative AI can revolutionize customer service by providing instant and accurate responses to member inquiries. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle a wide range of questions, from general information about benefits to specific queries about individual accounts. These tools can operate 24/7, offering members timely support and reducing the workload on customer service staff. Moreover, AI can analyze common questions and feedback, providing insights into areas where members may need more information or assistance.
Creating Images and Audio Files
In addition to text, generative AI can produce visual and auditory content. AI tools can generate custom images, infographics, and even audio files to supplement written communications. For example, using platforms like NotebookLM, benefits administrators can create engaging visual aids that illustrate complex benefits structures or repurpose existing content to create a podcast-style conversation for members who prefer listening to reading. These multimedia elements can enhance the overall effectiveness of communications, catering to diverse member preferences and learning styles.
Human Oversight Is Critical
While the capabilities of generative AI are vast, it is crucial to maintain human oversight to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and effectively. For example, it's up to humans to review and verify the accuracy of AI-generated content, check that the language is appropriate, and identify any potential biases. This critical evaluation helps maintain the integrity and reliability of the information being disseminated. By combining the efficiency of AI with the discernment and ethical considerations of human oversight, we can create communications that are not only informative and engaging but also trustworthy and fair.
Conclusion
Embracing generative AI in member communications offers a wealth of opportunities to enhance engagement, clarity, and efficiency. As benefits administrators, using these tools can help us stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital communications landscape. However, it is critical to maintain human oversight to ensure the effective, ethical, and responsible use of generative AI tools. By incorporating AI-driven ideas, simplifying complex information, creating diverse content, improving customer service, and generating multimedia content, we can deliver more impactful and accessible communications to our members.
The integration of generative AI into our communications strategies not only modernizes our approach, but also helps us meet the evolving needs and expectations of our members. By staying informed about the latest AI advancements and continuously exploring innovative applications, we can fully harness the potential of these tools to benefit our members and our organizations.
Bio: Jon Stuckey is Vice President, Director of Creative Technology & Innovation at Segal Benz. For more than two decades, Jon has helped clients leverage technology to achieve HR and business successes. He is responsible for the intersection of benefits communication strategy, user experience, creative delivery, and technology.
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