Demand for Communication Expertise Rises in Tech
The rapid expansion of generative AI has triggered a significant surge in demand for strong communication skills within the technology sector. Consequently, tech companies are now offering substantial compensation to professionals capable of highly effective communication.
Industry Examples and Compensation
This heightened demand is evident across the industry:
- Andreessen Horowitz has established a New Media team specifically to support founders in narrative development.
- Adobe is actively seeking an "AI evangelist" to specialize in artificial intelligence storytelling.
- Netflix posted a director of product and technology communications role with a salary range reaching up to $775,000.
- Microsoft has even launched a print magazine, Signal.
- Anthropic significantly expanded its communications team, adding five more positions at approximately $200,000 or higher.
- OpenAI currently lists several communications roles with salaries exceeding $400,000.
For context, the average director of communications in the U.S. earns approximately $106,000, highlighting the premium being paid in the tech sector.
The Paradox of AI-Generated Content
Three years after the widespread adoption of tools like ChatGPT, AI-generated content frequently exhibits issues with verbosity and imprecision. This often results in wasted time and a reduction of trust within professional environments.
Sam Altman previously observed that some online discourse generated by AI "feels very fake."
Ironically, this very proliferation of AI-generated content has created a paradoxical effect: an increased demand for skilled human communicators.
Expert Insights on the Growing Need
Gab Ferree, founder of Off the Record, notes that despite the sheer volume of AI-generated content, the necessity for skilled human communicators and storytellers is expanding. Industry experts affirm that companies are prepared to pay a premium for individuals who can effectively differentiate their content and "cut through the noise" in an increasingly saturated digital landscape.
Companies are willing to pay a premium for individuals who can effectively differentiate content and "cut through the noise."
Jenna Birch, founder of SISU, identifies this as an ongoing trend. She connects it to the historical growth of Silicon Valley and the simultaneous decline in traditional journalism roles. This shift has been further fueled by the expansion of content marketing and brand building across various digital platforms.
The Evolving Role of Communication Professionals
The responsibilities of communication professionals have significantly broadened. Their mandate now often includes:
- Understanding large language models (LLMs).
- Managing company blogs.
- Crafting overarching narratives.
- Developing CEO-specific voices for platforms like LinkedIn and Substack.
This expanded scope is reflected in executive roles. The number of Chief Communication Officer (CCO) positions at Fortune 1000 companies, which also encompass additional responsibilities like marketing or human resources, nearly doubled from 90 in 2019 to 169 in 2024.
Furthermore, the median pay for a CCO at a Fortune 500 company saw a substantial increase of $50,000 from 2023, reaching $400,000-$450,000 in 2024.
A Shift in Tech's "High Value" Skills
The competitive compensation offered to communication experts reflects their ability to operate in rapidly changing environments with a broad scope of responsibilities. This trend mirrors the demand for AI experts. While not yet at the same financial scale, creative professionals are increasingly recognized as "the high value person in tech."
This marks a significant departure from earlier periods when software developers were primarily considered the "high value" role. Strikingly, in 2023, computer science graduates faced an unemployment rate of 6.1%, while communications majors had a lower unemployment rate of 4.5%. Job postings for software engineers are projected to decrease by over 60,000 between 2023 and late 2025. Some industry observers now suggest that a liberal arts degree may offer a better defense against automation.
Human Creativity Versus AI Generation
Cristin Culver, founder of Common Thread Communications, observes that while AI can easily generate words, quality writing undeniably remains a human skill. She posits that the sheer abundance of AI-generated content simultaneously aids and complicates effective human storytelling. Culver emphasizes that "tactical storytelling" is gaining prominence as a crucial way to stand out.
Anthropic exemplified this approach with its "tactical storytelling" through the creation of a pop-up Claude Cafe in New York. This initiative aimed to present its chatbot, Claude, as a thinking partner and foster in-person connection amidst books and magazines. Sasha de Marigny, Anthropic's CCO, underscored that critical thinking remains a significant human advantage. Accordingly, the company actively seeks strategists capable of developing holistic plans to reach target audiences.
Steve Clayton, CCO of Cisco, views generative AI as a valuable tool for communicators, enabling them to produce authentic and engaging content that captures attention in an information-saturated environment.
Noah Greenberg, CEO of Stacker, suggests that brand-owned newsrooms, which prioritize impactful stories over mere content volume, are likely to be among the last areas where AI replaces human writers. He notes that while large language models (LLMs) are expected to improve, they are currently understood to generate creative content without a human-like creative process or critical thought, often exhibiting biases such as a preference for the first option presented.