Public sentiment shapes trust, legitimacy, reputation and the ability of organisations to operate effectively. Whether you are a public sector professional, consultancy lead, independent advisor or working hard for your not-for-profit, understanding what people are saying, feeling and sharing is an essential part of our role, acting as both sentinel and guide for our organisations.
Traditionally, gauging sentiment has relied on surveys, consultation exercises, manual monitoring, media analysis and social listening. These are still part of the picture but artificial intelligence now offers new ways to gather, compare and interpret signals and subtleties at scale, helping practitioners spot emerging issues, understand reaction and make sense of fast-moving public conversation.v
This very practical session explores how AI tools can be used to monitor sentiment and reaction across media, social platforms, search results and other public-facing channels. It looks at how these technologies actually work, what they can reveal, where they fall short and how to avoid mistaking automated summaries for genuine insight.
Participants will see practical demonstrations of AI-enabled monitoring, including how different tools collect and analyse commentary, identify emerging risks, surface patterns and help track shifts in public mood. There is the opportunity to get hands-on with the tech, and the session will also touch on the growing influence of Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, and what it means when AI systems become part of how people find, summarise and interpret information about your organisation, issue or cause.
The focus throughout is on responsible use. Sentiment signals need context, verification and human judgement if they are to support better decision-making rather than fuel reactive responses. Participants will learn how to assess AI-generated insights, question outputs, compare tools and bring monitoring intelligence into communication, engagement, reputation and issues management.
Designed for practitioners across sectors, this course provides a clear and current overview of the options available today. You will leave with a stronger understanding of how to approach AI-supported sentiment monitoring, how to wrangle GEO as part of the wider listening environment and how to turn signals into useful, responsible communication insight.
