Can AI do the work of a PR consultant? 

Scrolling on Instagram the other day, I came across an ad for an AI-powered platform that, for a monthly cost, promises to be your ‘AI PR’. I was intrigued. 

There’s no doubt that AI can supercharge a PR’s work – from research to writing press releases as well as automating tasks. But this particular ad claimed to write and pitch targeted journalists on your behalf. Here’s where it falls down…

PR as an industry has long hinged on a small but mighty word – trust. Journalists must be able to trust their sources of information. By regularly and persistently showing up for journalists – providing a quote, case study, imagery when they need it – you show them that they can rely on you. This is invaluable. 

The days of frequent media meetings aren’t as common anymore, making strong connections harder to maintain. Virtual relationships can only go so far. But even still, they matter.

According to journalists, they are receiving more AI-generated press releases, as well as fake press releases being sent to newsrooms. As a result, journalists have to lean on people they know and trust – this makes the work incredibly hard for new brands entering the space, without PR representation.  

Equally, journalists are in an arms race for authenticity and carry a growing sense of unease around who to trust – readers feel the same. Can we trust what we are seeing or reading? It’s never been more important for legacy media to bridge that trust gap. And part of that process is ensuring their sources – such as PRs – are trusted. 

So what happens if AI pitches for your business? 

PRs have media databases with thousands of names and titles. These databases are supposed to be regularly updated – yet they almost always are littered with incorrect emails or contacts. It needs a human eye over it – as do the pitches themselves. Creating bespoke outreach that references recent articles, passion projects or a small detail that a journalist has shared with you previously, can only be crafted by a PR with deep and established relationships.

This is the value that experienced PRs bring.