After years of discussion about how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform the way we live and work, we are now experiencing its true benefits firsthand in various aspects of life. In the business world, AI has become our invaluable companion, significantly enhancing our productivity and efficiency. Research shows that employees in fields such as cybersecurity, product development, sales, technical support, marketing, and public relations (PR) attest to how AI improves their daily tasks.
In the world of PR and marketing, innovation and staying on top of trends are key to maintaining competitiveness, so it’s no surprise that AI has become a true partner for employees in these sectors. AI helps them stay ahead, quickly adapt, develop strategies, and generate ideas. It can automate mundane daily tasks, create insights based on available data, and personalize communication, leading to more efficient and impactful PR and marketing campaigns.
In this interview, Polimnija Soulioti, CMO for Microsoft Southeast Europe, and Irena Merkaš, Communications Manager for Microsoft Central and Southeast Europe, discuss the transformative impact of AI tools on their daily work. They share their insights on how AI has reorganized their daily tasks, sparked creativity, and changed their roles in marketing and communications. Both Soulioti and Merkaš provide significant insights into the advantages and challenges of adopting AI and encourage their colleagues to embrace it as a tool that can truly enhance their work and yield better results.
MM: AI tools are already influencing the work of marketing and communications professionals. How have they impacted your daily routine?
Irena Merkaš: Thanks to my work at Microsoft, I’ve had the privilege of closely following the progress and development of AI. It’s fascinating to learn from colleagues who were early adopters of new technologies and to experiment with AI in ways that my colleagues in other industries haven’t yet had the chance. The moment when generative AI tools like ChatGPT became popular was pivotal (even my 60-year-old mother now uses Gen AI apps for gardening and cooking advice).
Irena Merkaš
In my job, tools like Microsoft Copilot have become essential, already integrated into Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other applications I use daily. Copilot not only quickly summarizes emails, but it also combines internal documents and chats to provide personalized responses while maintaining privacy and security. AI has become my go-to tool for generating ideas, analyzing media reports, and writing various content. What used to take hours now takes just minutes, leaving me more time for strategically important tasks.
Polumnia Soulioti
Polimnija Soulioti: Marketing is one of the disciplines that has significantly “profited” from AI tools. AI can help create content, not in terms of generating better ideas, but by providing inspiration to people. We could say that AI and humans will become partners in writing. Another area where AI will further enhance marketing is in data analysis and insights. There is no marketing without data, and AI will make data analysis more informative, precise, and efficient. And what is the ultimate goal of marketing? To reach the right audience with as much personalization as possible. AI will improve personalization and make the user experience even more advanced. From a marketing professional’s perspective, AI, as a “strategic partner,” allows me to focus on data-driven decision-making, new ideas, and concept creation, rather than on data analysis, emails, or briefing clarifications.
MM: We know that AI tool responses depend on our ability to write a good query, or prompt. How have you improved your prompt-writing over time? Can you estimate how much time AI tools save you?
Polimnija Soulioti: Using AI is a learning process. Just as these tools become more precise over time, so do we become better users of them. Creating good prompts is key to maximizing the benefits of AI. I started with generic queries that left a lot of room for ambiguity. Being specific and as clear as possible is crucial, as well as providing context to our question. Thinking about the desired outcome of our question helps us frame it in the most appropriate way to achieve the desired result. In any case, it’s a process of “test and learn,” where we ask questions until we get the desired answer. Some of us still remember the awkwardness of using search engines in the early days, and now it’s second nature; soon, AI tools like Copilot will feel just as natural as responding to an email. I’d say I already save four hours a week, and I believe that will increase as AI tools become “smarter” and, of course, as I become a more experienced user.
Irena Merkaš: Over time, I’ve learned to ask more effective questions and integrate AI tools into my workflow. The more I use them, the more valuable they become. Tasks that once took a lot of time, like summarizing emails or finding the right tone for different audiences, now take much less time. In some cases, I save over an hour a day. I remember starting with simpler tasks, like summarizing emails and responding politely. Now I use AI for more complex tasks, like preparing speeches for my superiors, generating conversation flows, or creating Q&A for the media. AI is particularly valuable in multicultural environments where content needs to be adapted quickly.
MM: What other AI tool advantages would you highlight?
Irena Merkaš: AI not only speeds up tasks – it improves our work. For communications professionals, AI handles routine tasks, allowing us to focus on creativity and strategy. It can quickly analyze news articles, social media, and feedback to give us real-time insights into how our messages are being received by the public. This helps us adjust them quickly depending on audience reactions or competitor actions.
In Microsoft, we conducted research on AI usage in the workplace. We asked 1,300 people, who were among the first to adopt these tools, how much time AI saves them daily. The results were fascinating: more than 60% of early AI users in sectors such as cybersecurity, product development, and sales noticed time savings of up to an hour a day. And research shows that even saving just 11 minutes a day makes AI an indispensable tool for most users.
Polimnija Soulioti: AI tools are reliable advisors in all disciplines, especially in fields that rely heavily on collaboration – meetings and email exchanges are at their core. Enhanced efficiency and productivity, as well as a reduced number of daily tasks, are already visible among users, but AI also provides great support in faster data analysis, improving the efficiency of digital assistants, and reducing human error. In sectors like healthcare and finance, AI will completely change the way they operate in diagnostics and pattern analysis.
MM: What about AI and job loss? There’s a global discussion about whether AI will replace us and take over our jobs. What are your thoughts on this? Are you concerned?
Polimnija Soulioti: It’s understandable that some people are afraid of AI or, more accurately, skeptical of it. Firstly, AI was for many years something we saw in science fiction movies, completely irrelevant to our reality, often associated with dystopian futures. Secondly, fear of change is common in any technological revolution. AI is here to make our lives easier, helping us focus on creativity and new ideas, rather than spending too much time and energy on monotonous and operational tasks. Like any technological revolution, AI will bring changes to the workplace, make some jobs obsolete, but also create new ones.
Irena Merkaš: It’s natural for people to be skeptical of AI, but I see it as a powerful “co-pilot,” not an autopilot. AI is designed to enhance, not replace, human capabilities. In communications, skills like creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking are irreplaceable. AI takes over routine tasks and manages data-heavy processes, allowing us to focus on the strategic and creative aspects of our work. While AI automates routine tasks, it can never replace the unique insights and “human touch” we bring to our jobs. It’s here to complement our skills and make us more efficient. The real value of AI lies in how we use it to improve our work and direct our energy toward what really matters.
To conclude, by embracing this technology, PR and marketing teams can gain a significant competitive advantage. They can work more productively rather than harder, achieve greater efficiency, strengthen brand reputation, and ultimately deliver measurable successes. Both emphasized that AI’s value lies in its role as a strategic partner, one that helps analyze data, create content, and personalize communication. AI tools have significantly improved human efficiency and productivity by automating routine tasks and freeing up time for strategic work and creativity. AI has allowed humans to focus on innovative strategies and content.
MM: Polimnija, based on the experience you’ve gained with AI tools, would you recommend them to your colleagues?
Polimnija Soulioti: Absolutely! I’m a big advocate for Microsoft Copilot because it saves time and helps us organize our day and projects. Even for meetings I’ve attended, I use Copilot because it prepares an excellent summary with clear tasks and responsibilities.
MM: Irena, how do you see AI shaping the future of communications? Why should your colleagues start using it?
Irena Merkaš: The future of communications will see an even greater role for AI, with tools becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of handling complex tasks. However, the human element – creativity, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking – will remain key. AI can increase efficiency and provide valuable insights, but it can never replace the unique aspects of effective human communication. I encourage my colleagues to start using AI tools like Copilot to stay competitive in our highly dynamic environment. The key is to continually learn and experiment with these tools, using them to complement our skills and achieve better.
