At Fire on the Hill we empower organisations to develop and communicate their story. Together, we can help to shape a more advanced, more sustainable, more open, more truthful, and more equal world.

As part of this journey, As Per My Last Email… takes a look at what our teams, clients and industry have been working on over the past few weeks.

This month we turn our attention to the energy sector, looking at how the communications landscape is being impacted by Artificial Intelligence and misinformation, as well as exploring how important community engagement is when seeking to secure support for new sources of power.

Find out more below - we hope you enjoy!

How should we talk about Artificial Intelligence in the energy sector?

Fire on the Hill kicked-off energy month with a look at the transition to Net Zero by 2050 and specifically the role of AI on the journey.

From balancing the grid to optimising energy distribution, AI is already changing how we keep the lights on. But with the opportunities come notable challenges - from its environmental footprint to cybersecurity risks.

Our Senior Account Executive, Rosie Ward, looked at why the energy sector needs clear, balanced storytelling on AI, and discusses the role communicators play in keeping the conversation transparent and grounded in reality.

Because, for the future of AI in energy, how we talk about it matters as much as how we use it.

Take a look here for more.

Building trust in the energy of tomorrow – how Chief Communications Officers can navigate community engagement

Continuing with the Fire on the Hill energy theme, we took a look at the complexities of community engagement.

Technical expertise is crucial to delivering effective communication strategies for our clean energy clients. But this alone is not enough, particularly when it comes to engagement around onshore projects.

Here, trust and transparency are the currencies of the day, argues Senior Account Manager, Oliver Thornton.

He explains: “In an industry building tomorrow’s energy infrastructure, the role of the Chief Communications Officer in building today’s community relationships has never been more critical.”

Find out more in the full piece here.

Disinformation in the clean tech sector – and how comms professionals can tackle it

Rounding out energy month, we took a look at the threat of false information in the sector.

Mis- and disinformation about clean technology can spread quickly. Misleading narratives can influence public opinion, delay projects and damage reputations.

Our Account Manager, Anna Houchen, looked at how disinformation is evolving in the clean tech sector, and the steps we can take to address it.

From anticipating misinformation before it spreads to building trust through transparency, the blog sets out practical approaches for supporting credibility and shaping public understanding.

Find out more here.

Fire on the Hill - Monthly Digests

Supposedly quiet on the news front, August created plenty of headlines for our monthly digests.

In the AI Digest, Head of Content, Chris O’Toole, looks at some unambiguously good news, with researchers in the United States having revealed the creation of two new antibiotics that have the potential to kill drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA. The new drugs were designed atom-by-atom by AI and killed the superbugs in laboratory and animal tests.

In the Reputation Digest, Rosie Ward looks at the complicated story of Syndey Sweeney and American Eagle, how an ‘anti-woke’ backlash forced Cracker Barrel to backtrack and the growing influence of women’s sport.

Finally, Anna Houchen explores the new Fire on the Hill Wellbeing & Impact Team, a group dedicated to creating a work environment where everyone feels connected, supported and inspired, across both our London and New York offices.

PR Week takes a closer look at Generative Engine Optimisation

Generative Engine Optimisation is a fast-emerging frontier for communications agencies as the influence of AI grows – a topic explored in fresh depth by Evie Barrett at PRWeek UK.

As our own David Clare notes, much of what is being sold as expertise deserves closer inspection, with some agencies rebranding simple prompt tests as proprietary systems.

Fire on the Hill stresses experimentation is vital, but credibility must come from honest assessment, technical literacy and evidence-based results - rather than hype. The challenge is not technical but strategic, since the tools to measure performance already exist but are often poorly understood or applied.

Find out more in the PR Week feature here - while David Clare also spoke to PR Moment on the topic.

How did AI shape the first generation of students to use it?

Finally, as the first generation of students exposed to AI throughout their education graduates, we take a look at the impact the technology has had.

Victoria Gutierrez joined Fire on the Hill for a period of work experience this summer and here explores how AI changed her time at university and what we can expect in the future.

Take a look.