9 AI Prompts for Public Affairs Professionals Who Want Better Thinking, Not Just Faster Drafting
Discover 9 practical AI prompts for public affairs professionals to improve policy messaging, pressure-test arguments, anticipate objections, and communicate more clearly with EU stakeholders.
“What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?”
This is a prompt I would probably never have come up with myself.
And yet, it is exactly the kind of question that makes AI useful for public affairs work.
Not because it writes the briefing for you.
But because it helps you test the thinking behind it.
A lot of AI use in public affairs still focuses on speed: summarise this, draft that, turn this into an email. Useful, yes. But not the whole story.
The real value is when AI helps you pressure-test your message before someone else does.
A policymaker.
A journalist.
A Commission official.
A sceptical attaché.
A client.
A colleague in the meeting who spots the weak point before you do.
So here are 9 AI prompts for public affairs professionals who want better thinking, not just faster drafting:
- Rewrite this message so it would survive a hostile question from an MEP in the relevant EP committee.
- List the 5 strongest objections a Commission desk officer at [DG] would raise to this proposal, then tighten the argument.
- Translate this policy language into something a national journalist would not misinterpret.
- What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?
- Adapt this message for a sceptical Permanent Representation official who is short on time.
- Strip this text of buzzwords and replace them with concrete, defensible claims.
- Assume the audience is politically neutral but institutionally risk-averse, rewrite accordingly.
- What is the hidden assumption in this argument that could be challenged in a meeting?
- Reduce this to a 30-second spoken answer that sounds credible and not rehearsed.
The point is not to let AI do your public affairs work for you.
The point is to use it as a sparring partner.
To make your arguments clearer.
To make your messages harder to misread.
To find the sentence that sounds fine until someone challenges it.
To prepare for the question you hope no one asks.
That is where AI becomes genuinely useful.
Not as a shortcut around expertise.
But as a tool that helps you use your expertise better.
Stop Using AI for Answers. Start Using It for Better Questions
Discover why the real power of AI isn’t in providing answers, but in helping you ask better questions, uncover blind spots, and explore alternative perspectives for smarter decision-making.
Picasso once said: "Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
That was true in his time, and still true today if you only use AI as a search ("answer") engine.
The real value is in the questions we ask:
- see blind spots in our reasoning ("Identify hidden biases or blind spots in my plan.)
- test assumptions we didn’t know we had ("Highlight my explicit or implicit assumptions.")
- explore alternative framings of the same problem ("How can this problem be viewed from multiple angles? How would a manager, a psychologist, a physicist, and musician look at it?") Or take these for example:
- Instead of asking “What’s the EU’s position on AI regulation?” try “What unintended consequences could the EU AI Act have for small startups?”
- Instead of “Summarize this report,” try “What’s missing from this report that an NGO focusing on circular economy could ask?”
- Instead of “Write a press release,” try “What would make this story credible to a skeptical journalist?”
AI doesn’t (and shouldn't) replace thinking. Just be sure to ask it the right way.
➡️ looking for AI workshops for your team? Influence Builders has trained 1500+ corporate and government affairs teams, and we'll be glad to work with you.
AI on LinkedIn: Hype, Hysteria, or Honest Insight?
A wry look at the LinkedIn AI conversation: from overhyped promises to doomsday takes, existential musings, and magical shortcuts. Where does reality meet rhetoric?
I get the impression that each time someone talks about AI on Linkedin, it's either:
- "oh this is such a hype/BS that only grifters talk about it"
- "you can go sit on a beach, it'll do everything for/instead of you"
- "whatever it churns out, it's a piece of cr*p that should be ridiculed"
- "here is some existential AI philosophy that I just invented"
- "a magic shortcut to hack your way to the top of the newsfeed"
- "it's the end of [name topic] and let's despair OR here is what to do about it"
- "this is revolutionary and the best of all worlds is about to come"
(I am guilty as charged of some of the above, I readily admit.)
Did I miss anything else?
p.s.: and the opportunistic plug, as the plus one: check out Influence Builders
9 AI Prompts for Public Affairs Professionals Who Want Better Thinking, Not Just Faster Drafting
Discover 9 practical AI prompts for public affairs professionals to improve policy messaging, pressure-test arguments, anticipate objections, and communicate more clearly with EU stakeholders.
“What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?”
This is a prompt I would probably never have come up with myself.
And yet, it is exactly the kind of question that makes AI useful for public affairs work.
Not because it writes the briefing for you.
But because it helps you test the thinking behind it.
A lot of AI use in public affairs still focuses on speed: summarise this, draft that, turn this into an email. Useful, yes. But not the whole story.
The real value is when AI helps you pressure-test your message before someone else does.
A policymaker.
A journalist.
A Commission official.
A sceptical attaché.
A client.
A colleague in the meeting who spots the weak point before you do.
So here are 9 AI prompts for public affairs professionals who want better thinking, not just faster drafting:
- Rewrite this message so it would survive a hostile question from an MEP in the relevant EP committee.
- List the 5 strongest objections a Commission desk officer at [DG] would raise to this proposal, then tighten the argument.
- Translate this policy language into something a national journalist would not misinterpret.
- What is the single weakest sentence in this briefing, and how would you fix it?
- Adapt this message for a sceptical Permanent Representation official who is short on time.
- Strip this text of buzzwords and replace them with concrete, defensible claims.
- Assume the audience is politically neutral but institutionally risk-averse, rewrite accordingly.
- What is the hidden assumption in this argument that could be challenged in a meeting?
- Reduce this to a 30-second spoken answer that sounds credible and not rehearsed.
The point is not to let AI do your public affairs work for you.
The point is to use it as a sparring partner.
To make your arguments clearer.
To make your messages harder to misread.
To find the sentence that sounds fine until someone challenges it.
To prepare for the question you hope no one asks.
That is where AI becomes genuinely useful.
Not as a shortcut around expertise.
But as a tool that helps you use your expertise better.
Stop Using AI for Answers. Start Using It for Better Questions
Discover why the real power of AI isn’t in providing answers, but in helping you ask better questions, uncover blind spots, and explore alternative perspectives for smarter decision-making.
Picasso once said: "Computers are useless, they can only give you answers."
That was true in his time, and still true today if you only use AI as a search ("answer") engine.
The real value is in the questions we ask:
- see blind spots in our reasoning ("Identify hidden biases or blind spots in my plan.)
- test assumptions we didn’t know we had ("Highlight my explicit or implicit assumptions.")
- explore alternative framings of the same problem ("How can this problem be viewed from multiple angles? How would a manager, a psychologist, a physicist, and musician look at it?") Or take these for example:
- Instead of asking “What’s the EU’s position on AI regulation?” try “What unintended consequences could the EU AI Act have for small startups?”
- Instead of “Summarize this report,” try “What’s missing from this report that an NGO focusing on circular economy could ask?”
- Instead of “Write a press release,” try “What would make this story credible to a skeptical journalist?”
AI doesn’t (and shouldn't) replace thinking. Just be sure to ask it the right way.
➡️ looking for AI workshops for your team? Influence Builders has trained 1500+ corporate and government affairs teams, and we'll be glad to work with you.
AI on LinkedIn: Hype, Hysteria, or Honest Insight?
A wry look at the LinkedIn AI conversation: from overhyped promises to doomsday takes, existential musings, and magical shortcuts. Where does reality meet rhetoric?
I get the impression that each time someone talks about AI on Linkedin, it's either:
- "oh this is such a hype/BS that only grifters talk about it"
- "you can go sit on a beach, it'll do everything for/instead of you"
- "whatever it churns out, it's a piece of cr*p that should be ridiculed"
- "here is some existential AI philosophy that I just invented"
- "a magic shortcut to hack your way to the top of the newsfeed"
- "it's the end of [name topic] and let's despair OR here is what to do about it"
- "this is revolutionary and the best of all worlds is about to come"
(I am guilty as charged of some of the above, I readily admit.)
Did I miss anything else?
p.s.: and the opportunistic plug, as the plus one: check out Influence Builders
The Real Power of AI Isn’t Answers. It’s Better Questions
A reflection on how AI can help us ask better questions, not just find quick answers. Based on a workshop experience and a brilliant coaching book, this post explores how reframing our questions can shift perspective, unlock insight, and support more meaningful decision-making. Perfect for communicators, leaders, and anyone navigating complexity.
On my way to Berlin to run an AI workshop. This is my new manual.
Borrowed (gifted?) by Jacques Foul, I realize that the true value of AI is not to provide us with answers but to help us find better questions.
If you are in an existential crisis and ask yourself “What is my true purpose?”, you are probably asking the wrong question.
But what’s a better one?
Coaches and therapists (especially the really good ones) are trained to help you find those angles that not only change your perspective but help with your introspection.
Perhaps something along the lines of “What action or activity or work would make you feel replenished if you look back at it in a year?”, or “How do others in situations like mine find meaning in their life?”, or… endless other variations.
But findig those angles is not easy, especially when we are blinded by our own emotions, fears, or our thought bubble.
This is where AI can come to the rescue:“Ask me helpful open questions so I can examine [this issue] better, from multiple perspectives.
Ask me deeper questions.
”What matters most is that you take the time to reflect so that the answers are truly yours.
p.s.: this book is a gem. Highly recommended.
➡️ if you’re interested in learning more about our workshops, check Influence Builders
Not All AI Questions Are Created Equal
AI can be brilliant for creativity, but it requires precision when you're dealing with facts. In this post, I explain the difference between open, exploratory questions and accuracy-critical requests, and how adjusting your prompts can dramatically improve your results. A small shift in how you ask leads to much better answers.
Here is a simple yet powerful idea I shared at today’s “AI for corporate affairs” workshop.
When using AI, know which type of question you’re asking:
- Open questions like “give me 10 creative ideas” or “be the devil’s advocate for this report” are great. They invite exploration, perspective, and creativity and as long as there is one novel, helpful perspective in it, it did the job
- On the other hand, when you ask for facts, numbers, a summary, or legal references, accuracy is vital, so cross referencing and fact checking and requesting sources must be rigorously done.
Helpful to approach each request accordingly.
Stop Writing in the Dark. Meet Persura.
Most messages miss the mark because they’re never tested. Persura helps you refine your communication with persona-based feedback and proven persuasion frameworks, so your message actually lands.
Excited and proud to announce Persura, a persona-based message testing and virtual focus group tool.
We're soon releasing the beta version, and you're welcome to sign up to the wait list (persura.ai) if you'd like a free trial.
Persura is going to be an amazing tool to improve your press release, position paper, startup pitch, campaign message or advocacy outreach by finding and selecting realistic 'personas' or groups ('cohorts') who give feedback about your message and propose ways to improve it.
A great add-on is the availability of "communication frameworks" (Cialdini, Made to Stick, ...) to further enhance your message.
If you work in strategic communications, corporate affairs, government relations, advocacy, PR, diplomacy, or in an international organization, sign up to be alerted when we launch, most likely around November.
Thanks to everyone who's working hard to get it off the ground.
cc Aleksa, Sara, Zea, Marió, György, Influence Builders | The Right Street
What AI Can Reveal About Personality and How to Use It to Craft Persuasive Messages
Discover how AI can analyze speeches to reveal personality traits and guide more persuasive, targeted communication—using Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union as a case study.
Our personality shows through our words... and AI can reveal much more about us than we realize.
To see how well this works, I inserted Ursula Von Der Leyen's State of the Union speech into ChatGPT and instructed it as follows:
"Carefully analyze this speech. Act as a professional forensic psychologist. Write a 10 bullet point summary of the speaker's personality, based on what you can find between the lines and based on resonable assumptions.
"What I got was a pretty good description of her political persona:
* High-agency, combative “fight” framing of EU politics.
* Pragmatic unifier, selective about allies and opponents.
* Strong control orientation, favors centralization and oversight.
* Highly structured, goal-driven, methodical and disciplined mindset.
* Technocratic innovator with strong communication and branding instincts.
* Risk-tolerant strategist, mixes security with financial creativity.
* Balances toughness with moral empathy and humanitarian tone.
* Parental regulator, protective toward youth and digital risks.
* Order-focused, demands fairness and control in migration.
* Narrative-driven leader, uses stories to build EU identity.
You may disagree with a few points but the goal is not perfection, just a directionally useful baseline.
Because the real twist is when you want to target messages to her stakeholder community, you can use the above as follows:
"Given the above descriptors, how would my [attached] message need to be adapted to make it more persuasive for this person?
"This step-by-step approach is how communication can be upgraded to be more effective.
And if that's not enough, you can 10x the quality of your argument by using Persura, which will do all the above, just significantly better.
(Launching soon, wait list is open.)
➡️ and if you'd like to train your team on creative use of AI for corporate communication or public affairs, check Influence Builders
Is ChatGPT Undermining Global Values and Cultural Diversity?
Explore how ChatGPT’s training and value framework could influence cultural norms worldwide, potentially clashing with local expectations and shaping societal approaches to sensitive issues.
Is ChatGPT destroying values & culture around the world?
Given its training, value set and homogenisation risks that are anchored to 'Western values', it may.
This phenomenon can lead to a mismatch with user expectations in socially conservative regions or countries, and it may actively shape how those societies approach sensitive issues.
A fascinating article on this topic, summarized below.
(Original: https://lnkd.in/ebR5e9fp)
➡️ Looking for AI workshops for your team? Schedule a 10-minute discovery call with Influence Builders
Turning Briefings into Visual Stories: Why Napkin AI Deserves a Spot in Your Toolkit
Briefings don’t have to be dull walls of text. Discover Napkin AI — a smart visualization tool that transforms reports, speeches, and internal notes into clean, professional visuals that clarify your message and engage your audience.
Who said briefings have to be visually boring?
This is a shout-out to Napkin AI, a wonderful visualization tool you can use for reports, business documents, internal notes, or any other written piece.
It generates cool yet clean, professional illustrations that are not your usual AI-powered BS images but actually help understanding what's being discussed.
(And I'm not even being paid by Napkin to say so! 😅)
p.s.: below is an example of Macron's 2025 speech on Ukraine, illustrated.
➡️ Looking for AI workshops for your government affairs & communications team? Book a discovery call with Influence Builders to discuss your needs.
This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
Featured articles
and Insights
This compilation takes us through the history of the first #EPSO candidates, showcasing their journey and achievements from the very beginning to the present day—and even looking ahead.
A compilation of the first #EPSO candidates throughout history, until today and beyond.
(Have you played with ChatGPT-4o's new image capabilities? Pretty impressive.)
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
Discover the inspiring story behind The Ultimate EU Handbook, a book born from the unexpected connection of a chance pitch and years of creative collaboration.
20 years ago, John Harper said 'yes' to an unknown person's unsolicited book pitch, which set of a chain of positive events. Yesterday, another book came to be as a result of two years' intense work and creativity of Sonia Gongu, Martin Tomov, Ljiljana Pavkov... and 'The Ultimate EU Handbook' was born.
Special thanks to Maryana Panyevina, Klym Ahrykov and David Meszaros for your support to make the launch event at Ambiorix Center & Podcast Studio special.
🇪🇺🙏📚
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
What began as a discussion about burnout quickly turned into an exploration of something deeper. In my conversation with Dr. Vasadi Anna, a psychiatrist with decades of experience, it became clear that burnout isn’t just about long hours or stress—it’s rooted in expectations, upbringing, and the invisible pressures we internalize from an early age.
English summary of the latest episode of András' Hungarian podcast, 'Lélek Algoritmus – Ilyen az ember (avagy beszélgetések egy pszichiáterrel)' – 'The Soul’s Algorithm: The Human Condition (Conversations with a Psychiatrist).
What began as a discussion about burnout quickly turned into an exploration of something deeper. In my conversation with Dr. Vasadi Anna, a psychiatrist with decades of experience, it became clear that burnout isn’t just about long hours or stress—it’s rooted in expectations, upbringing, and the invisible pressures we internalize from an early age.
Burnout: More Than Just Exhaustion
Burnout gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Many assume it’s just extreme fatigue, but as Anna pointed out, it’s something deeper. Burnout drains you emotionally, mentally, and even physically. It’s not the kind of tiredness that a weekend off can fix.
A key distinction Anna made: while depression can affect every part of life, burnout is usually tied to work. But it doesn’t stay there. It spreads—first to colleagues, then to family, then to an overall sense of disillusionment.
The Perfectionist’s Trap
Burnout isn’t just about overworking—it’s about overworking with the wrong mindset. People who push themselves too hard, who never feel their efforts are enough, who equate self-worth with productivity—these are the most at risk.
A common misconception: If I love my work, I can’t burn out. But passion doesn’t shield you. In fact, it often makes things worse. Overcommitting, ignoring personal limits, and relying on caffeine or alcohol to keep up are all red flags.
The Long Shadow of Childhood Expectations
Why do some people burn out while others keep their balance? Often, it starts in childhood.
Many of us grow up believing that our worth is tied to achievement. If we didn’t excel, love and approval felt conditional. Some parents—often unknowingly—reinforce this by setting impossibly high standards or withholding affection when a child falls short. Over time, this creates a need for external validation, making burnout almost inevitable.
Take elite athletes. Their entire identity is wrapped up in performance. When they lose, it’s not just a setback—it feels like a loss of personal value. The same happens in workplaces. A high achiever who misses a promotion doesn’t just feel professional disappointment—they feel like they have failed as a person.
Midlife Crisis: Burnout of the Soul
This naturally led us to midlife crisis, which, in many ways, is burnout playing out on a larger scale.
Both stem from the same root: spending years chasing external markers of success without stopping to ask, Is this what I actually want?
The midlife crisis tends to hit in the 40s or early 50s, often when several pressures collide:
- Aging Parents: The growing responsibility of caring for elderly parents forces many to confront their own mortality.
- Teenage Children: At the same time, kids are becoming more independent, adding another layer of emotional complexity.
- Career Pressures: By midlife, most people have built careers, but many start questioning if they’re on the right path.
It’s a perfect storm of obligations, internal and external, that makes people reevaluate everything—from their job to their marriage to their purpose.
Finding a Way Forward
So, how do we deal with burnout and midlife crisis without making rash decisions?
- Rethink Success – Instead of measuring success by salary, job title, or external validation, define it in terms of fulfillment and balance. If your work is draining you, can it really be called success?
- Recognize the Warning Signs – Losing interest in work, feeling detached, and struggling to muster enthusiasm are all early signs of burnout.
- Set Boundaries – Work will always demand more. It’s up to you to decide what is enough.
- Address Deep-Seated Patterns – If your self-worth depends on achievement, it might be time to rethink where that belief came from. Therapy and self-reflection can help break the cycle.
- Embrace Change – A midlife crisis isn’t necessarily a crisis—it can be a wake-up call. Maybe it’s time for a career shift, a realignment of priorities, or simply a different perspective.
Final Thoughts
Burnout and midlife crisis aren’t just work problems or age-related phases. They’re signals—urgent ones—telling us that something needs to change. The real question isn’t How do I push through? but Am I living a life that actually fits me?
If the answer is no, maybe the crisis isn’t a disaster. Maybe it’s an opportunity.
