Why AI Is Not Your Vending Machine
(and the Power of Correct Prompts)
I try to meet with rising talent in our industry. It’s a great opportunity for me to listen and learn what challenges the next generation of practitioners are facing and hear firsthand what’s on their minds. No surprise, AI’s impact on our industry comes up frequently.
When asked what is one hidden skill needed to develop in this AI world, I have an answer many do not expect: strong prompt writing skills will soon become as fundamental to public affairs professionals as knowing how to do message development, earned media, and coalition-building.
While artificial intelligence isn't replacing the strategic thinking we do in public affairs, it is amplifying work outputs and increasing efficiency for people who know how to ask the right questions. Over the past year, I've watched talented communicators using tools like Claude and ChatGPT walk away disappointed. What they hoped to achieve—a powerful brainstorming session and thought partner—is not what the reality of the output is.
More often than not, the problem wasn't the technology. It was the prompt.
What I’ve learned through trial and error is AI isn't a vending machine where you insert a few words and receive back exactly what you’re hoping for. Think of it like building a strong relationship—you get back what you put in. For example, when you onboard a team member to a new client project, the more context and direction you provide, the better their work will be. The same is true in using AI tools. The quality of the output is often determined long before AI generates its first word; the prompt is where strategy happens.
Instead of asking AI to simply "write something," give it the context it needs to give you the best result. Explain the audience, the objective, the tone, the constraints, what success looks like, and anything else relevant to your specific task. Each new query may need to include different elements based on what you want out of it, so always remember to tailor your prompts based on your output.
Let’s take a look at some real-world examples:
Weak Prompt: Summarize California bill SB 722.
Strategic Prompt: Act as a legislative affairs advisor preparing a housing advocacy leader for a five-minute briefing before meeting with state lawmakers. Summarize California bill SB 722 by explaining what it proposes, what would be changing, why it matters politically, the likely business impacts over the next 12 months, who supports and opposes it, potential reputational risks, and three recommended executive talking points.
Weak Prompt: Write a LinkedIn post about the importance of lobbying in relation to other business efforts.
Strategic Prompt: Write a 5-6 paragraph LinkedIn post from the perspective of the CEO of a bipartisan public affairs firm. The audience is corporate executives, government affairs leaders, and communications professionals. Explain why lobbying alone rarely changes outcomes and why integrated public affairs, strategic communications, coalition building, grassroots engagement, and digital advocacy are increasingly inseparable. Include one real-world example, avoid clichés, and end with a question that encourages discussion.
The professionals who stand out over the next few years won't simply be the ones using AI—they'll be the ones who know how to brief it. Just as importantly, they'll know when to challenge its assumptions, refine its recommendations, and apply the judgment that no model can replace. Strategy is still all human. AI simply gives good strategists a stronger starting point.