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
Don't Use ChatGPT as Google
When experimenting with ChatGPT (or Gemini, or any other LLM), many people intuitively use it as Google, i.e searching for information.
When experimenting with ChatGPT (or Gemini, or any other LLM), many people intuitively use it as Google, i.e searching for information.
It's not a good idea.
Here are a few better use cases to consider 👇p.s.: interested in workshops about practical use of AI tools for public affairs & comms? Get in touch, or follow Influence Builders & Jacques Foul for updates.
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
ChatGPT Across Occupations
I wonder where EU officials & MEPs would be in such a survey.
I wonder where EU officials & MEPs would be in such a survey.
(Source: https://lnkd.in/eg2XA-j6)
*This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
The Real Disruption
One of the most important business lessons is that game-changing disruption doesn’t come from a much better product, because that is just competition doing its job (think Google vs Altavista, or Bing’s failure to dethrone Google).
One of the most important business lessons is that game-changing disruption doesn’t come from a much better product, because that is just competition doing its job (think Google vs Altavista, or Bing’s failure to dethrone Google).
Real disruption comes from an unexpected direction: SearchGPT (or Perplexity) is a radically different way of online search and information retrieval than googling, with the potential to sideline the incumbent.
All the while Google is not going to sit idly by, but its current model (and ad business) will likely look radically different in 2-3 years as a result.
AI4Fun
You can use AI for social media posts, even for interactions.
You can use AI for social media posts, even for interactions.
Just configure the instructions carefully 😅
Use AI Responsibly
Who trusts whom to use AI responsibly?
Who trusts whom to use AI responsibly?
Fascinating research from Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Oxford
Let AI Improve the Style
"AI writing doesn't sound human" - but there's an AI to fix that 😅
"AI writing doesn't sound human" - but there's an AI to fix that 😅
Tools like undetectable.ai or free CustomGPTs with the right instructions/prompts can be helpful copyeditors to prevent the raw output from sounding too stale, machine-generated, or flowery.
You can also use a prompt such as "Write content that sounds natural and human, avoiding overly complex or flowery language. Focus on clear, concise sentences that convey the message directly. Imagine you’re explaining the topic to a friend or colleague in a conversational manner. Keep the tone friendly and professional." - you can even add examples of great/poor style, or point to a resource such as this list of the 124 most overused words and expressions of ChatGPT (https://t.ly/hTT0t) and say "avoid to the degree possible these words and expressions, unless they sound natural and add value in this context".
Or just write it yourself, as a real human, and let AI improve the style ✌️
cc Influence Builders & Jacques Foul
p.s.: follow us for more tips & upcoming workshops from September
Are You a Visual Type?
You may prefer a nice structure to understand and process complex political messages.
Are you a visual type?
You may prefer a nice structure to understand and process complex political messages. If that's the case, here is a step-by-step guide to turn the European Commission's recently published Political guidelines 2024-2029 into a mind map.
Feel free to use these steps to convert any other document or policy paper into a visual structure.
Enjoy ✌️
p.s.: if you're interested in learning more about using AI & ChatGPT for public affairs, follow Influence Builders, Jacques Foul & me for updates
**This was originally posted on Andras Baneth's LinkedIn account.
Job to Be Done
In politics, in business, and in life, I love the concept of 'job to be done'.
In politics, in business, and in life, I love the concept of 'job to be done'.
I heard about it first in a case study discussing a thick milkshake that McDonald's was selling. Many people bought it for their morning commute, but when the McDo decided to make it more skinny, sales dropped.
They started analyzing the reasons why customers bought it, and suprisingly, it had nothing to do with it being a 'breakfast drink': its 'job to be done' was to last long enough until commuters got to their workplace. When the milkshake was made skinnier, it no longer served that purpose.
How does this translate to other fields of life?
In the movie/theater/showbiz industry, casting for most supporting roles is not done on the basis of the best looking actor or actress: the job to be done is find a suitable character, ideally with great acting skills, who can authentically act the role.
In the medical sector, a doctor's kind personality is a great asset, but the (main) job to be done is to cure the patient as quickly as possible while minimizing side-effects.
A business hotel's job to be done is to offer an uneventful accommodation experience to relax. It is not meant to host a loud party on the ground floor that disturbs all other the guests.
In the training business, the job to be done is often not to train the staff but to tell them, as an external consultant, what the boss couldn’t get across.
In politics, we all want to have kind, empathetic, likeable people as leaders. At the same time, the job to be done may be to withstand pressure, push through unpopular but necessary measures, and deliver results (and still get re-elected).
The main question is often this: is it clear what the *actual* ‘job to be done’ is? And even if I don't like the service/company/person, are they the best suited to get the job done, and do it ethically?
The Transatlantic Friends of Israel
Israel, more than any other topic (including our own war against the Russian aggression) has divided societies and narratives in the “Western” world.
Israel, more than any other topic (including our own war against the Russian aggression) has divided societies and narratives in the “Western” world. Few understand that any conversation about this strangely, uniquely, and amazingly diverse country exists on two levels: an existential (as in: not to be wiped off the map by *real* genocidal regimes and groups), and political (as in: policy choices, rule of law, the nature of the Israeli polity, coexistence of ethnicities and religious communities, and so on). The two are closely connected but are not completely overlapping. Events like the one yesterday was about the first one, and I bet all the shakshukas and watermelons in the world that the guests present at the event would vehemently disagree on dozens of issues related to the second. What’s sure is there is more that unites us than we might care to admit. Thank you Daniel Schwammenthal and the organizer for this wonderful initiative.
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.
