How AI helped Catherine Richards amplify empathy

AI’s sudden rise has left communicators with many questions about its capabilities and what it means for them in their roles. With its ability to create copy, summarize documents, and much more, AI tools offer a significantly underutilized array of applications that communicators should embrace.

In our latest edition of Ragan’s “AI Helped Me” series, we spoke with Catherine Richards,  founder of Richards Creative, about her early exposure to  AI, how she uses it to help her clients unlock their creativity, and more.

Sean Devlin: Could you tell us a little about how you first started interacting with AI in your role, and how it’s evolved?

Catherine Richards: My journey with AI began at VMware in 2022-2023 when I joined one of the world’s first Marketing AI Councils. We were pioneering the responsible integration of generative AI into a global marketing organization, essentially writing the playbook as we went. As a content strategist, I piloted the early enterprise-grade generative AI tools Jasper and Writer, quickly realizing how AI was set to transform content marketing radically.

This laid the foundation for my role as an AI strategist. Today, through Expera Consulting and The Strategist Blog, I help clients use AI to achieve their most ambitious goals. While the tools and technologies have evolved rapidly, the core principles we established early on — responsible implementation, amplifying human strengths, and fostering inclusive collaboration — remain as relevant and important to success today as ever.

When you first started using AI, how did you educate yourself on how to use it?

CR: As a strategist and creator, I believe in learning by doing. When our AI council provided licenses for Jasper and Writer, I jumped in immediately, experimenting and providing feedback to developers. While formal courses are helpful, nothing compares to hands-on experience.

This led to the creation of The Strategist Blog, where I share insights and document my AI journey. My approach has always been rooted in curiosity—engaging with the tools, exploring their potential, and sharing discoveries.

Catherine Richards, founder of Richards Creative

How does AI factor into your role today?

CR: I work with highly skeptical audiences who demand credibility over hype. My background in security, privacy, and regulation marketing informs the risk-aware approach I take with AI, ensuring any guidance I provide balances progress and compliance.

A key part of my role is helping clients understand how AI can augment human capabilities, not replace them. This often means rethinking workflows and team structures and developing new use cases.

I suggested a home improvement retailer use AI to calculate environmental impact metrics, empowering contractors to make more informed, eco-friendly recommendations. By incorporating AI insights, contractors can improve their decision-making, reinforcing the value of their expertise.

I also focus on making AI approachable. It’s not about insider tricks — it’s about practical solutions to real-world challenges. As AI-generated content becomes more common, I help teams view AI as a creative collaborator, enabling them to deliver high-quality, differentiated outputs.

Have you seen any changes to your workflow or customer satisfaction since you’ve begun using AI?

CR: Definitely. AI has become a creative catalyst for me. Early in my career, I relied on libraries, museums, and travel for inspiration. Now, AI provides a limitless library of references, broadening my creative scope. I recognize that AI models have inherent biases and limitations, as they are trained on imperfect data. While I’m mindful of this when using AI, it still offers vast resources that were unimaginable just five years ago.

What’s something about AI that you think communicators need to be talking about but aren’t discussing enough?

AI can analyze vast amounts of sentiment and preference, enabling us to understand our audience better and craft more authentic communication. This doesn’t replace human empathy — it amplifies it. The key is using AI to enhance how we engage and connect with our audiences.

Do you have a big prediction for AI usage in the next few years?

CR: We’ll start to see a shift in what’s valued at work — strategic and creative problem-solving, as well as unconventional thinking, will become increasingly important. Brands will need to dig deeper to find more authentic expressions of their mission and points of view.

The good news is that AI will democratize access to information and tools, enabling individuals to bring their unique perspectives and talents to the forefront, regardless of traditional experience or formal training. This will give brands access to a broader range of diverse insights.

This shift will require organizations to rethink how they structure teams, moving toward flexible, project-based setups. I see a future where organizations train and provide professional services to a more diverse set of people to speak on behalf of the brand.

For younger professionals, your digital fluency positions you to lead in this AI-powered world. Dive into AI smartly, understand its limits, and lead with confidence. For those with a career’s worth of expertise, AI can unlock new ways to apply that knowledge, sparking an exciting new chapter in your career.

Catherine Richards is a coach to members of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council and offers counsel on gen AI. Learn more about membership and benefits, including coaching, here. 

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.