Communication Capability Pathway - Core Skills
AI in PR Capability Pathway

Can you
Beat the Bot?

Today’s big question is this -  can you beat the bot?
 
In a world where AI is writing faster than ever, how do we, as humans, keep up? 

AI filters through everything we do so it’s high time we figured out how we work together with words.

With this in mind - and to get your brain working at maximum - this  hands-on workshop challenges you to pit your persuasive powers against AI-generated content, sharpen your writing and connect with your communities.

Remember, today’s children will grow up with AI, learn with AI, guide - and be guided by - AI so it is imperative we learn with them - side by side.

Using real-world scenarios and crafted personas, we’ll compare AI-generated responses with human rewrites and ask the big question - which develops trust, gains attention or prompts action? And how well does each result connect and engage with our communities?

We’ll explore what persuasive writing looks like in an AI-assisted environment, how tone and intent are interpreted by both machines and readers and where human nuance still has the edge.

It is high time we figure out the future of human communication and the way we intend to work with words from now on.

This is not about fearing the bot — it’s about understanding its strengths, exposing its weaknesses and honing your own skills in the process. 

Expect quick-fire writing rounds, live comparisons and collaborative critique - and be ready to roll your sleeves up and indulge in a little competitive writing.

You’ll leave with practical techniques for improving clarity, tone and emotional connection, a better grasp of when, how and why to bring AI into the mix - and when to leave it out.

Write your awesome label here.

Learning outcomes

  • Identify the strengths and limitations of AI-generated writing in persuasive, emotive and context-specific communication.
  • Apply key principles of persuasive writing to outperform AI in tone, clarity, persona alignment and emotional impact.
  • Develop rapid response writing skills using prompts, personas and real-world scenarios across different communication formats.
  • Critically assess and compare human and AI writing, using structured criteria to evaluate effectiveness and engagement.
  • Gain practical strategies for integrating AI as a writing aid, knowing when to use it, when to revise it and when to write from scratch.

Live Online

8 August 2025
12:30pm NZST

Digital Guides

Readings and resources

Practical

Writing challenges
Platform exploration

Certificate of Completion

CPD Points - 2