Role, Position, and Control: Questioning Generative Artificial Intelligence’s Place as a New Actor within Strategic Communications for National Advocacy

This study examines the integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) as a new actant within a compound socio-technical arrangement in the field of strategic communication for national advocacy during wartime. Innovatively combining Actor-Network Theory and Bourdieu’s social field theory, the study analyzes how GenAI technology was incorporated into Israel’s ad hoc national advocacy field established during the ‘Iron Swords’ Israel-Hamas conflict (October 7, 2023–2025). Through semi-structured interviews with 15 strategic communication professionals who used GenAI for advocacy purposes, the study explores how this technology is perceived, positioned, and integrated into professional workflows. The research reveals that while GenAI functions as an efficient and loyal personal assistant that enhances creativity and productivity, professionals strategically position it in the middle stages of the creative process rather than as a front-facing actor. This positioning stems from their concerns about professional status, creative authenticity, and low credibility. The findings contribute to understanding technology adoption in crisis communication and reveal the complex power dynamics that emerge when disruptive technologies enter established human professional fields.