Today, 65% of public relations (PR) professionals use artificial intelligence (AI) for research, list building, and idea generation, while 75% incorporate generative AI tools into daily workflows.
The public relations industry is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by the twin forces of generative AI and the decline of traditional media. AI’s impact is no longer theoretical – it’s reshaping how PR professionals strategise, execute and measure campaigns.
The question is no longer whether PR can afford to embrace it but if it can survive without it. If communications professionals are not adapting, they risk becoming obsolete. But are we losing something critical in the process – our authenticity, our humanity, and our creative edge?
The evolution of PR in the AI era
PR has always been about shaping perceptions and managing reputations, but what happens when the very tools we rely on evolve beyond our control? AI offers unprecedented opportunities for data-driven decision-making, campaign personalisation and content automation, allowing communications and marketing teams to scale faster than ever before.
But at what cost?
With AI processing vast amounts of data in real-time, PR is becoming more efficient, more personalised – but also more detached. Sentiment analysis, predictive analytics, and automated content creation are revolutionising how we build campaigns. AI can develop hyper-targeted messages, but it can’t capture the emotional resonance that truly connects with an audience.
While AI delivers the ‘what’, it lacks the ‘why’ and ‘how’ – the creativity, empathy and nuance that are core to building meaningful relationships. AI may excel at identifying trends, but it’s human intuition that knows how to tell a story that sticks.
AI’s expanding role in crisis and reputation management
Crisis management has always been a high-stakes game, but in the digital age, it’s become a minefield. The speed and reach of social media mean a single misstep can spiral into a full-blown disaster within mere hours. And here lies AI’s power – being able to predict, track, and manage crises with pinpoint precision.
AI-powered sentiment analysis and monitoring systems allow PR teams to anticipate shifts in public perception before they escalate. But AI isn’t just about stopping crises before they start; it’s about providing a quicker way to control the narrative.
It can also flag negative sentiment, track brand mentions, and combat misinformation, but it can’t provide the compassion, transparency and genuineness required in a crisis. A misstep in communication or a poorly timed message can only be fixed with the human touch.
The best crisis management strategies will blend AI-driven insights with human judgment, ensuring the response is not only timely but authentic and empathetic.
AI-enabled consumer insights
Imagine a world where consumer research is instantaneous and data-driven. AI can deliver insights into consumer preferences, emerging trends, and behavioural shifts at the speed of thought. Gone are the days of painstaking market research – AI-backed analytics can tell us exactly what messages will resonate and how to optimise campaigns.
But insights alone can’t drive meaningful consumer connections. Algorithms can’t truly understand the cultural nuances that can make or break a campaign. While AI allows for hyper-personalisation and precision, our humanity is what ensures the message hits home.
AI gives us the tools to optimise strategies and segment audiences, but it’s the PR professionals who apply the context, creativity, and cultural awareness that make campaigns impactful.
Authenticity in the age of AI
The rise of AI-generated content raises a new dilemma: will we trust what we read, watch, and hear? Consumers are more sceptical than ever, with 51% reporting increased distrust in online information. As PR professionals, we must ask whether we are setting ourselves up for failure by relying too heavily on AI.
AI can draft press releases, social media posts, and video scripts based on audience data, but without a human editor, these messages risk sounding like soulless regurgitations of data. If consumers sense a lack of realness in the content, it won’t matter how targeted or personalised it is.
We are at a tipping point where AI-generated content risks undermining the very credibility it’s meant to build. To maintain trust, transparency is key. Brands need to disclose when and how AI is used in communications. More importantly, PR professionals must preserve the human elements – empathy, storytelling and genuine relationships – that make communication authentic. This technology can help create efficient, targeted campaigns, but humanness will always be the foundation of effective PR.
The importance of human creativity
At its core, PR is about telling stories that inspire, connect and evoke emotion. AI can provide the framework, but it’s humans who turn that framework into something compelling.
In the AI-driven world, the PR professionals who thrive will be the ones who know that AI can analyse trends, but only human creativity can craft the emotional stories that resonate deeply with an audience. AI can optimise, but it lacks the magic of human intuition that adds a personal touch, creating campaigns that don’t just inform but also connect on a human level.
The future of PR isn’t about choosing between automation and creativity; it’s about combining both. While AI offers unmatched efficiency, it is human-driven creativity that will always give campaigns their spark and authenticity.
The way forward
AI is already here, and PR professionals must adapt or risk becoming obsolete. With technology evolving rapidly, those who fail to keep up will be left behind. But as AI redefines PR, it’s crucial that we don’t lose sight of what makes our work truly effective: human connection.
Emma Rijkers is a business unit director at Hook, Line & Sinker. HLS is an award-winning Public Relations agency that helps brands to find the right story hook, select the best communications line, and deliver the ultimate campaign sinker. For more information about HLS and the agency’s digital expertise, visit www.hooklinesinker.biz or follow them on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
