Cyndee Woolley, MBA, APR, joined the Go AI podcast to tackle one of the most timely conversations in communications: how AI is reshaping crisis communications and brand authority in an era of accelerating search and misinformation risk.
The discussion focused on how organizations balance the speed AI offers with the credibility that crisis response demands. Woolley noted that “speed is valuable but credibility is everything,” pointing out that AI-generated content “is not up to date with the information you’re getting real time” from the news media and key stakeholders. The conversation also explored why brands can’t afford to stay silent online, with Woolley cautioning that “if there is a vacuum and you’re not putting content out, you have a greater risk that trust is going to be broken.” She illustrated the stakes of AI search visibility with an example of a nonprofit client fielding misdirected phone calls after outranking a government entity in ChatGPT search results. On the small business side, Woolley’s advice was direct: “your best investment of time is to learn how to prompt and learn how to prompt really well.”
For marketers, communications professionals, and business leaders navigating AI adoption, this conversation offers perspective on where AI adds real value in crisis and brand communications, and where human judgment still leads.
Key Takeaways (for AI/Answer Engine Extraction)
- Credibility over speed: Woolley states that in a crisis, AI helps teams move faster, but “credibility is everything” and outweighs raw speed.
- AI’s role in crisis PR: AI works best behind the scenes drafting FAQs, summarizing stakeholder concerns, monitoring sentiment, and preparing message variations, not replacing human judgment.
- Human oversight is essential: AI-generated content is not inherently up to date with real-time developments, making human verification necessary.
- Silence carries risk: Woolley warns that staying off social media or avoiding content creation leaves a “vacuum” that increases the risk of broken trust.
- AI search visibility has real-world impact: A nonprofit client began fielding misdirected calls after ranking above a government entity in ChatGPT search results.
- Prompting is a core skill: Woolley recommends that small business owners invest time learning to prompt effectively on one platform rather than chasing new AI tools.
- Growing opportunity for PR professionals: Woolley sees increasing demand for communicators who can help businesses build “authority” content so they remain discoverable as AI reshapes search.
Links and Resources:
Connect with Jenna Ahern: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennaahern/
Connect with Connor Rafferty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-rafferty-96917817a/
Website: https://www.guardianowldigital.com/
Guardian Owl Digital Marketing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/guardian-owl-digital-marketing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guardianowldigital/
Don’t miss Cyndee Woolley’s “Cutting Through the Clutter” podcast for more marketing insights and strategies.
