This article presents reflections from the OTT Conference 2025, specifically drawing insights from the ‘Workshop: Turning evidence into impactful campaigns,’ ‘Will AI kill the think tank report,’ and ‘AI for think tanks: From FOMO to intentionality’ sessions.
AI is no longer an emerging trend. It’s a permanent feature of the policy and research landscape. For think tanks, this moment represents more than a technological shift; it’s a strategic crossroads. The question is no longer if AI should be used, but how it can be harnessed to ensure that evidence is not only produced, but heard, understood, and acted upon.
Insights from the 2025 OTT Conference underscore the urgency and potential of integrating AI into communication strategies. If think tanks want to remain relevant and influential, they must evolve from traditional dissemination models to smarter, more adaptive approaches – or risk getting left behind.
AI as a catalyst for strategic communications
Think tanks have traditionally prided themselves on rigorous research. But in today’s crowded information environment, excellence in research is only half the equation. The other half lies in effectively communicating that research. AI can be a powerful tool in this process when used intentionally.
From automating repetitive tasks (like drafting grant applications) to transforming dense reports into compelling, audience-friendly formats, AI can significantly boost efficiency and reach. Tools like chatbots powered by institutional memory or AI-driven content repurposing systems allow teams to do more with less, producing summaries, social media posts, and visual explainers that extend the life and accessibility of core research.
But with these opportunities come challenges: concerns about quality control, ethical implications, and the potential erosion of methodological rigour. Transparency about AI use and clear protocols for quality assurance are essential. More importantly, capacity building—especially for senior decision-makers within and beyond think tanks—will be critical to moving from experimentation to meaningful adoption.
This emphasis on capacity building strongly resonates with my work at OTT as well as previous experiences. While developing global communications initiatives, including large-scale campaigns on gender and climate, I saw firsthand how crucial it was to pair robust evidence with sharp, creative storytelling—a principle that AI can now help scale.
Beyond dissemination: Campaigns, engagement, and AI-powered influence
The shift from outputs to outcomes is well underway. Today’s most effective think tanks are not just publishing reports—they’re running strategic campaigns that build relationships, frame narratives, and drive change. This is where AI can supercharge communication efforts.
AI can support campaign planning by analysing audience preferences, predicting content performance, and helping tailor messages for different stakeholders. But these tools are only as powerful as the strategies that guide them.
For impactful engagement, think tanks must:
- Prioritise the right audiences: Civil servants and advisors often hold more sway than elected officials. Building trust with these actors means engaging regularly, understanding bureaucratic incentives, and avoiding performative communications.
- Balance inclusion with focus: Message grids can help ensure that diverse coalition voices are heard without diluting the core message.
- Utilise AI to optimise content delivery: Repurpose research findings into concise, bite-sized content across multiple platforms, ensuring reach without compromising rigour.
- Create safe spaces for dialogue: Invite-only forums can foster rapport with policymakers and co-develop actionable solutions.
The shift to campaign-based thinking also calls for new skill sets in storytelling, audience mapping, and design. Here, too, AI can offer support, but strategy must lead technology.
At OTT, I’ve had the opportunity to help amplify learning programmes like the School for Thinktankers, where our recent campaigns have started to utilise AI to customise communication for different audience segments—allowing us to engage more effectively and tailor outreach efforts. Similarly, campaigns I supported in my previous experiences, such as a fundraising campaign for grassroots NGOs during Covid-19, showed me how targeted, iterative engagement can have real on-ground impact. In hindsight, that campaign could have greatly benefited from AI-powered audience insights and message optimisation. AI now provides new avenues to deepen and personalise this work, making it more data-informed and agile.
Recommendations for AI-enabled communication impact
To truly benefit from AI, think tanks must invest in structure, culture, and skills, not just tools. Here are five strategic recommendations:
- Establish an AI task force
Move beyond ad hoc experimentation. Form dedicated teams to guide ethical AI use, run pilot projects, and embed learning across the organisation. Sandboxing new tools can create a safe space for trial and error.
- Break internal silos
Enable faster, more integrated communication across teams. Use AI to identify and repurpose relevant content, ensuring consistency and timeliness.
- Invest in relationship-building
Prioritise consistent, behind-the-scenes communication with decision-makers. Use check-ins and co-creation spaces to understand needs and align research to policy realities.
- Adopt campaign thinking
Shift from one-off outputs to sustained, multi-format engagement. Equip teams with the skills and tools to run effective, inclusive campaigns.
- Apply user-centred design
Utilise service design methods, such as interviews, prototyping, and personas, to tailor communications to real-world needs, particularly in complex policy environments.
In closing
AI won’t replace think tanks, but it will reshape the way they communicate, influence, and remain relevant. The future lies in combining rigorous research with adaptive, strategic communication—powered by AI but grounded in trust, relationships, and purpose.
Reflecting on my own journey—from supporting purpose-led campaigns in my previous experiences to shaping content strategies at OTT—I see AI not as a replacement for human creativity and strategic thinking, but as a powerful ally. If harnessed with intention and integrity, it can help us cut through the noise and ensure evidence truly drives change.