Research shows AI is reshaping digital communications landscape

In brief

The digital communications landscape has reached a turning point, with early adopters now operating in a completely different league from their competitors. Black Sun Global's tenth annual Digital Index reveals that while some companies abandon social platforms like X and double down on employee culture content, others are still stuck with static, one-size-fits-all approaches.

The research shows a record 52% performance gap between top and bottom performers, driven by AI adoption and rapidly shifting stakeholder expectations. The divide isn't just about having better websites - it's about fundamentally different approaches to how organizations connect with the people who matter most to their success.

Inside the numbers

"This year's findings reveal we've entered a 'New Direction, New Realities' era where traditional digital strategies are becoming obsolete. The companies pulling ahead aren't just using better technology - they're fundamentally rethinking how they build relationships with stakeholders in an AI-first world."

2025 Key trends and findings

1. Connected narratives A strong corporate story is now the cornerstone of digital engagement. The best-performing companies align their purpose, value creation, and governance with targeted stakeholder content. We are seeing a continued growth in more connected narratives driving stakeholder content.

Best performers: Centrica, Coca-Cola HBC, Haleon

2. Building investor confidence Investors are placing greater emphasis on digital transparency. This year, we’ve seen a notable increase in dedicated investment narratives and online financial reporting.

Best performers: HSBC, Coca-Cola HBC, Vodafone

3. Material sustainability Leading companies are moving beyond commitments to evidence, linking material sustainability topics to measurable outcomes. They are also more clearly articulating their material issues and their materiality process to explain why specific issues are material to their business.

Best performers: Reckitt, Rio Tinto, Sainsbury’s, Vodafone

4. People & culture in focus Last year there was a big step up in enabling job seekers to search and apply for jobs. This year we have seen a growth in the communication and emphasis on culture and values - aimed at attracting the right talent and better explaining what it is like to work at the company.

Best performers: AstraZeneca, Anglo American, SSE

5. Leveraging Social Media The use of social media continues to grow. We have analysed the 'active' publication of content through different channels. The big shift was a big drop in active use of X - as predicted last year.

Laggards & leaders: The widening digital divide

As the bar continues to rise, so does the gap between those leading the charge and those falling behind.

Leaders

The strongest companies excel across all three dimensions of our Triple A framework.

They:

• – Develop cohesive, multi-stakeholder narratives
• – Use interactivity and content to foster deeper engagement
• – Leverage social media to extend reach and relevance
• – Prioritise accessibility, compliance and user-centred design

Overall leaders in 2025: Coca-Cola HBC, Vodafone, Centrica

Leaders in experience: Anglo American, Haleon, Coca-Cola HBC

Laggards

At the other end of the spectrum, laggards demonstrate:

They:

• - Minimal or outdated content
• - Weak or non-existent narrative
• - Low engagement levels
• - Little to no social amplification
• - Dated digital experiences

This year, we’ve observed a 52% performance gap between top and bottom performers – the widest yet. As digital becomes more strategic and stakeholder-driven, companies can no longer afford to treat it as a simple 'shop window'.

Want to go deeper?

If you'd like to discuss how these insights could inform your workplace culture strategy, we'd be happy to connect you with our brand and culture specialists at People Made.