AI Strategy & Risk Assessment Project
A cross-department project focused on evaluating AI opportunities, risks, and policy needs at Pioneer.
Category
Research & Strategy
Client
Pioneer Utility Resources
Start Date
April 2025
Role
Social Media Content & Account Manager — AI Strike Force Committee Member
Project Description
From January to April 2025, I served on Pioneer’s internal AI Strike Force, a cross-functional team exploring how emerging AI tools could support creativity, efficiency, and responsible innovation across the organization. Our work included opportunity–risk analysis, a company-wide survey, industry research, and cross-department collaboration to create forward-thinking recommendations for leadership.
THE STORY
Pioneer formed the AI Strike Force to proactively explore how AI could enhance services and support teams across the organization. With representation from editorial, IT, design, marketing, and account management, the committee brought together a wide range of perspectives to study how AI connects to Pioneer’s mission, values, and long-term goals. The focus was on understanding where AI can complement human expertise, strengthen storytelling, and encourage innovation.
MY ROLE & CONTRIBUTIONS
As the representative for the Social Media Account Management team, I contributed real-world insights from managing public-facing content across multiple clients. I shared examples of where AI supports efficiency and personalization and where accuracy, brand voice, and client trust require strong human oversight. I participated in discussions on high-risk and high-opportunity categories, contributed to risk scoring, evaluated AI platforms, and provided input on guidelines, best practices, and areas where AI can safely enhance workflows.
My contributions:
• Represented the social media account team and contributed insights from live client work
• Highlighted efficiency and scalability benefits of AI for managing multiple accounts
• Shared examples of AI caption inaccuracies flagged by clients
• Emphasized the importance of brand voice consistency across diverse accounts
• Supported scoring of social media as high-opportunity and high-risk
• Contributed to discussions on ethical concerns, including voice mimicry and misinformation
• Evaluated several AI tools including ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Exa
• Provided input on human review requirements for public-facing content
• Connected practical experience to long-term decision-making and policy recommendations
• Participated in conversations on AI agents and emerging automation trends
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
The committee used a comprehensive research process to understand AI’s potential across Pioneer’s services. This included:
• Opportunity–risk matrix scoring for 18 business functions
• SWOT analysis by product and service category
• Company-wide survey on employee comfort levels, concerns, and use cases
• Platform research across ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, Perplexity, DeepSeek, and Exa
• Real examples from client work, including AI caption inaccuracies and tone inconsistencies
• Discussion of ethical concerns such as voice mimicry, scams, and data security
• Industry research on AI use in agencies, media organizations, and utilities
• Cross-department discussions on AI’s role in design, editorial content, training, websites, and social media
• Consideration of public AI missteps, such as miscaptioned images and AI-powered customer service issues
This research created a balanced understanding of where AI can support creativity, workflow speed, and operational efficiency.
ANALYSIS & DECISION FRAMEWORK
The committee used a structured decision-making process to evaluate the short- and long-term implications of AI adoption across Pioneer. We began by defining success metrics and clear evaluation criteria, then assessed opportunities and risks across service areas using a shared scoring matrix. From there, we reviewed practical examples from client-facing work, including accuracy issues, brand tone challenges, and areas where human oversight remains essential. The team also examined where AI could support scalability, reduce repetitive tasks, and strengthen workflows without compromising trust or quality. This approach helped prioritize use cases where AI can enhance efficiency while reinforcing the importance of human judgment in public-facing and high-impact contexts.
KEY FINDINGS
Our analysis showed that AI offers meaningful opportunities to support content ideation, caption drafting, research, and workflow efficiency. Social media emerged as one of the highest-opportunity and highest-risk areas due to its visibility, accuracy requirements, and the importance of maintaining brand voice. The committee agreed that human review is crucial to preserving trust and preventing factual or contextual errors. Feedback from staff indicated strong interest in clearer guidelines, training, and approved tools. Overall, the findings emphasized that a gradual, thoughtful approach to AI adoption allows the organization to innovate while ensuring consistency, quality, and responsibility remain at the center of all workflows.
SKILLS USED
AI research • risk analysis • cross-functional collaboration • survey interpretation • ethical AI considerations • social media strategy • strategic communication
OUTCOME
Our final recommendations offered leadership a clear, research-based roadmap for responsible AI exploration, highlighting opportunities to support workflows while maintaining accuracy, brand integrity, and human oversight.