The breakfast organised recently by CLIFF (the French association of financial communication professionals) on the applications of artificial intelligence to investor relations (IR) provided an opportunity to take stock of current uses and structuring trends. Beyond the novelty effect, it is indeed a gradual but already tangible transformation of IR practices that is taking shape.
Hybrid uses, between iteration and structuring
In IR teams, generative AI tools are now being used on a daily basis, but in different ways. On the one hand, solutions integrated into office suites are gradually becoming the norm. On the other, more open tools continue to be used on an ad hoc basis, sometimes outside the defined frameworks.
Today, these uses are organised around three main areas. Firstly, cross-functional tasks (information retrieval, translation, synthesis) that concern all functions. Secondly, there are applications directly linked to the core IR business: drafting press releases, preparing results scripts, drafting the DEU or building Q&A. Finally, more emerging use cases are appearing, such as producing presentations, preparing roadshows or targeting investors.
In all cases, one benefit is immediately obvious: time savings. At this stage, AI is not yet profoundly transforming the nature of IR missions; above all, it is speeding up their execution. This is a key point: operational efficiency is improving, but human added value remains central.
Increased control and security requirements
However, this growth comes with a number of major constraints. Firstly, the reliability of the content generated remains a major challenge, requiring systematic verification processes. In an environment where every word can have an impact on the market, approximation is not an option.
Furthermore, confidentiality issues are particularly important for IR functions, which by their very nature handle sensitive information. The use of AI cannot therefore be conceived without a strict framework, in particular via secure environments.
So, far from replacing expertise, AI amplifies its scope, provided it is mastered. This is precisely what is driving companies today to structure their practices more closely.
Organisations in the process of adapting
In large companies, this structuring is already underway. Tools are being deployed on a larger scale, often with direct access to internal document databases, making it possible to improve the relevance of the content generated.
But this development is not limited to a technological issue. It also raises broader questions about the organisation of IR teams: allocation of tasks, skills development in these tools, integration into existing processes.
In other words, the challenge is no longer simply to adopt AI, but to integrate it intelligently into the way teams work, without compromising the rigour required for financial communication.
Conclusion: more time for the essentials of investor relations
Against this backdrop, one thing is clear: above all else, AI creates time.
Time saved on production, analysis and summary tasks - resources that can be reallocated to the core business of investor relations. Because, at the end of the day, the most important thing remains the same: understanding your investors, talking to them and building a relationship of trust over the long term.
In this sense, AI does not redefine the purpose of the IR business; it potentially reinforces its impact. The teams that know how to transform these efficiency gains into relational value by refocusing on the quality of the dialogue with the market will be the ones who take full advantage of this new generation of tools.
Olivier Bricaud
Account Director, Investor relations
E-mail: olivier.bricaud@cdrgrayling.com