Akhia’s AI Council tracks trends, advises clients and protects brands.

The multidisciplinary team simplifies a complex topic for businesses.

HUDSON, Ohio—Feb., 28, 2024—They say AI is for the curious. We believe that to harness it, you must understand it. To maximize it, you must try it. And to protect your brand, you must prepare for it. At Akhia, we’re curious. And our AI Council is tracking trends, advising clients and protecting brands from potential crisis threats.

“AI has been part of our lives for more than a decade. The only difference now is how easy it is to use and how accessible it is,” said Ben Brugler, CEO and majority owner of Akhia. “There are positives and negatives to this statement. The goal of our AI Council is to help clients understand and harness the good parts while preparing for the rest.”

The Akhia AI Council includes experts in strategic planning, crisis communications, operations management, content strategy, digital channel management, and creative design. Together, the team tracks everything from legal ramifications and corporate policies to identifying practical use cases for AI in public relations, content development, influencer management, SEO, design and more.

According to Brugler, the pace of AI adoption varies greatly from person to person and business to business.

“Most of our clients are manufacturers where AI has been part of everyday operations for some time,” he said. “But when it comes to its use in marketing and communications, it’s a brand-new world. We meet our clients where they are, bringing them information and advice as they navigate what comes next for their businesses.”

It all starts with education. Akhia publishes a weekly roundup of AI news and insights and engages in speaking engagements with universities and industry associations, including Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) chapters in Ohio and neighboring states. The Akhia AI Council also advises companies to update their crisis communications plans with AI-related crisis scenarios, such as deepfakes.

“This is a topic that’s not talked about enough but is critical to protecting brands. In the wrong hands, AI can destroy brands faster than you can say fake news,” Brugler said. “Today’s threats didn’t exist five years ago, and scenario planning and updating escalation policies should be top priorities for businesses of all kinds. We can help businesses prepare.” Look to Akhia’s AI Council to help you sort through the complexities of the new world of AI. Subscribe to the AI Roundup and other insightful emails from Akhia, the strategic communications agency that builds stronger brands from the insight out.

Track, advise and protect.

Akhia’s AI Council consists of Ben Brugler (CEO), Angela Bachman (COO), April Wonsick (Executive Vice President), Patsie Dionise (VP, Channel Experience), Dillan Kanya (Digital Analyst), Eric Knappenberger (Senior Content Lead) and Jason Smith (Associate Creative Director). The goals of the council are to track trends, advise clients and protect brands. For information on consultative services or to book a speaking engagement, email Ben.Brugler@Akhia.com.

About Akhia

Akhia is the strategic communications partner that builds stronger brands from the insight out. Complex challenges excite us. Technical topics? Yes, please. Deeper insights come from being inside manufacturing organizations, and we’ve been in them for decades. Put our experience to work for your brand with auditing and insights, strategic planning, content strategy, media and influencer relations, communication channel management, brand storytelling and corporate communications.