AI-Generated Content Is a Double-Edged Sword in PR
I’ll admit, AI has changed the content landscape. Tools like ChatGPT, GrammarlyGO, and Jasper are now fixtures on marketing and PR desks everywhere, capable of generating headlines, press releases, and social posts in seconds. It sounds like a PR dream, faster output, broader reach, and round-the-clock content production.
But let’s not be fooled. AI may be clever, but it’s far from infallible. Particularly in PR, where nuance, tone, and human judgement carry weight, relying too heavily on AI can do more harm than good.
AI-generated drafts require a huge amount of work to make them ‘fit for purpose.’ Of course, the assumption is that using AI to create content saves time, but it doesn’t. Reviewing and editing clunky, robotic text often takes as long as writing it from scratch. Worse still, if the underlying content is weak, it may still be flagged by editors as artificial, regardless of how polished it looks on the surface.
And that’s where the real risk lies.
Editors are becoming increasingly adept at spotting AI-written material and are now requiring PR agencies to sign legally binding agreements confirming that the content is not AI-generated. Either way, the tone, structure, and language are often a giveaway. If they suspect a piece is AI-generated, then the credibility and reputation of the client and agency are brought into question.
Editors must be able to trust PR agencies, this is critical if content standards are to be maintained. There’s a long-standing relationship between PR agencies and editors that has been built on professionalism and editorial integrity, which can’t be replaced by AI. It’s humans who can tailor content to suit the tone, style, and expectations of individual publications.
Let’s not forget the cautionary tales. Tech outlet CNET came under fire for publishing AI-generated articles riddled with errors, damaging their editorial reputation. A Forbes Agency Council article similarly warned that while AI can boost efficiency, it cannot replace good client service and blind reliance on it can erode authenticity and nuance.
PR is about people. The relationships between agency and client, agency and editor, and ultimately, brand and audience, all rely on trust and human connection. These connections don’t come from formulaic, templated text, they’re built through storytelling, empathy, and well-considered communication strategies.
There’s also a danger of losing editorial access altogether. If unscrupulous PR agencies start flooding inboxes with AI-generated copy, editors may begin to associate individual companies with spam. And once that reputation slips, it’s incredibly difficult to recover. We’ve spent decades building relationships with the media and AI isn’t a shortcut worth risking those bonds for.
So yes, AI has its place, it’s a helpful assistant, a way to brainstorm, a time-saver for first drafts. But it cannot replace human insight, instinct, or the strategic thinking that makes PR effective.
In the end, people trust people. They don’t fall in love with perfectly structured content; they connect with stories told by real humans, with purpose, context and care.
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