Evolving Roles: Social Media Communication in the Age of AI

Generative Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a support tool but a structural element in reshaping corporate digital communication. On social media, where creativity and speed are decisive, its presence has redefined workflows and professional roles. The Social Media Manager, traditionally responsible for content ideation and execution, is now asked to combine traditional skills with new competencies that involve prompting, supervising, and integrating outputs from artificial systems. This evolution opens critical questions: how does the boundary between human and machine creativity shift when AI enters everyday practice? How can professionals maintain authenticity and trust in a space where automated content is increasingly recognizable? To address these issues, this paper adopts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as a theoretical framework. Integrating recent findings on AI experience, the study analyzes Meta’s social media platforms, a central environment for communication professionals, examining the drivers behind the adoption of their latest AI features. The paper offers a critical reflection on the balance between artificial efficiency and human value, providing theoretical propositions that lay the foundation for future longitudinal research on the acceptance and ethical implications of AI in professional communication.