A inteligência artificial generativa e a ilusão da eficiência: um estudo exploratório na comunicação do IF Sudeste MG

Abstract

Objective: This research aims to identify the possibilities of generative artificial intelligence for the organizational communication of public institutions. Theoretical framework: The research is structured around three conceptual axes. The first discusses organizational, strategic, and public communication, and the challenges faced by public institutions' communication in a hyperconnected world that reconfigures communication flows and demands qualified information. The main scholars in this axis are Duarte, Kunsch, Bueno, and Koçouski. The second axis addresses the foundations of artificial intelligence, its implications, and its applications in the organizational communication of public institutions, drawing mainly on Santaella, Kaufman, and Taulli. The third axis presents a mapping of the communication sectors of the rectories of the 38 Federal Institutes, based on public data available online. Methodology: This research adopts a qualitative approach, interpretive data analysis, and the action research methodology proposed by Thiollent (2022) and Tripp (2005). The empirical field was the promotional campaign for the admission process for the first semester of 2026. The research was developed in two phases. The first was dedicated to building the theoretical framework through bibliographic and documentary research. The second phase involved interaction with AI tools (ChatGPT and Gemini), carried out across three rounds encompassing planning, implementation, description, and evaluation of changes to improve practice. Main Results: The results of this research showed that the main challenge of generative AI in public communication is not strictly technical. The most significant barriers lie not in the absence of the tool, but in how it is understood, appropriated, and integrated into institutional practices. Despite expectations of increased efficiency, it is the human capacity to use AI critically and strategically that generates value and effectiveness. Accordingly, five guidelines were formulated for the expansive use of generative AI tools in public communication. Relevance and Originality: This work is relevant for exploring the application of artificial intelligence based on the principles of public communication, addressing issues of ethics, transparency, and public interest. It also discusses the human bias within the technological context, raising the impact of technology on humans and reflecting on non-economic rewards that AI can generate when used as a convivial tool. Practical Contributions: As a technical-technological product, the research developed a collaborative prompt library for public communication, made available on the Padlet digital platform. The library was conceived as a collective space for building a digital repository of shared prompts geared toward the activities of public institutions' communication teams.