by We’re long past the point where what was expected about the impact of AI on the PR industry has now become a rapidly evolving reality. It is transformative. There is a dynamic as to whether the benefits can be properly managed to limit the risks. It will result in job losses, or at least less hiring in certain roles. It’s all happening fast and will continue to do so.
Since the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, and the subsequent launch of several other large language models, with more on the way, we can roll up into one question what’s most important now, not just to agencies but also to our clients, in using AI?
The answer is in how these systems enhance PR’s three core pillars: strategy, creativity, and relationship-building.
This begins with looking at why those pillars even exist. It’s because real humans conceived and manage them.
Eliminating the Human Element?
The ability to craft narratives and generate ideas has long been a uniquely human trait, rooted in our creativity and intuition. The exponential growth of large language models (LLMs) challenges this notion, raising fears about the future of communication.
The ability for AI to replace human roles is a reasonable assumption. If an LLM can produce a polished pitch or analyze media sentiment, then it could render traditional PR skills obsolete. AI’s automation of tasks like media monitoring or content creation could also reduce demand for entry-level roles.
Ethical dilemmas also loom large. AI can obscure whether content is human- or machine-generated, risking transparency and trust.
Also, it appears that AI has exacerbated challenges to media outreach. The deluge of AI-generated spam emails has made pitching less effective, as journalists and influencers are inundated with generic messages. When used ineffectively, reporters can sense when AI-generated pitches or statements lack the nuances of meaning and significance at the human level that only a real human could provide.
Similarly, the rise of artificial “experts” designed to trick journalists into quoting commentary for SEO purposes may undermine credibility and clutter the media landscape.
These concerns are valid and should not be dismissed. Furthermore, to ensure responsible adoption and maintain stakeholder trust, transparent and ethical frameworks are essential. These include clear AI usage policies, compliance with data privacy laws like GDPR and state-level regulations, and regular bias audits.
Why AI Enhances, Not Threatens, PR
Despite these concerns, it is likely that AI is not a fundamental threat to PR. Humans will always be needed to manage crises and build trust with stakeholders. Our role as PR professionals is to achieve understanding, gain support, forge trust, establish credibility, and wield influence.
For all of AI’s processing power, the essence of the job requires uniquely human capacities – things like judgment, empathy, and trust.
In fact, AI may amplify the industry’s core human elements while streamlining operations and enhancing outcomes.
And we can’t achieve any of that without first and foremost being efficient. That means, executing on what we have promised the client we can do. Here’s where AI delivers clear value:
Automating repetitive tasks. Tools like Meltwater can monitor media in real time, analyzing millions of online mentions to track sentiment or flag crises. Other platforms, like PodPitch, streamline podcast guest pitching by researching shows, verifying host contacts, and drafting personalized emails that reference recent episodes, saving PR agencies 5-10 hours weekly.
AI may also potentially be able to enhance strategic decision-making in a crisis, as it can find that timing is everything. Finding real-time data, you’ll have all the cards. Helps you be on time—providing space for good decision-making.
Critically, AI cannot replicate the human touch essential to PR. Central to this notion is the idea that AI tools may identify new and potentially more impactful media targets to engage with, but they cannot build the trust and rapport that human interactions foster. Relationships with journalists, podcast hosts, or stakeholders remain critical, especially in sensitive or crisis scenarios. A statement provided to a journalist as part of a crisis response, for instance, requires human finesse to navigate tone and context—skills AI cannot fully emulate.
Media training is another example of a skill that cannot easily be replaced, as it relies on intuition and emotional intelligence. It involves skills, such as reading social cues and adapting tone. An experienced media trainer can pick up when a client’s body language gives off discomfort and can help individuals understand how to gauge a room or pivot under scrutiny. As of now, AI is still limited in its ability to offer the instinctive guidance that only the human experience can provide.
Why AI is Making Earned Media More Essential Than Ever
As more people collectively rely on large language models (LLMs) over traditional search engines, the importance of earned media and authoritative coverage will only grow. According to Gartner, it’s expected that by 2028, 50% of all online search formats will be via AI chatbots.
To adapt to this shift, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is emerging to replace traditional SEO, focusing on creating and optimizing content so it appears in AI-generated answers. According to Muck Rack’s latest report, “What Is AI Reading?”, more than 89% of links cited by AI are earned media. Of those, over 27% of links are journalistic content.
It is thus increasingly critical to treat AI citations with the same importance as backlinks or search rankings. Our work as PR practitioners, from crafting stories to pitching journalists to securing coverage, directly shapes what AI says about our brands.
So, in short, if a company wants to appear on platforms like Gemini or Perplexity, landing meaningful placements in the press will be imperative.
Looking Ahead:
The paradox we began with—whether AI threatens or enhances PR—resolves here. The answer is neither machine alone nor human alone, but the blend of both. The future of PR lies in wielding AI’s speed while anchoring in the three things that matter most when it comes to marketing communications and PR services: results, relationships, and trust.
In that balance, we’ll find not only resilience but also a renewed sense of purpose for our industry.