How is GenAI being used in communications today? GenAI has quickly become a key tool in public relations and communications. Helping professionals write faster, brainstorm easier and stay on top of tight deadlines. This article looks at how GenAI is being used in PR today, the power, pitfalls and potential, and why it’s important to adopt it thoughtfully—with clear guidelines, training, and a strong understanding that human judgment and creativity still lead the way.
The power and potential of GenAI in the PR toolkit. In the quick changing world of GenAI adoption, different professions are undergoing shifts and progress in different ways. Today, I will be examining how these changes are manifesting in public relations. GenAI is no longer an idea of the future—it’s making its way into everyday work. Campaigns, press releases and brand voice guidelines. While the pace of adoption varies across the industry, the question is no longer if PR teams will use GenAI, but how well they’ll manage to utilize this new tool.
This piece explores how GenAI is being used in PR, what it offers, and—maybe more importantly—what important steps must be taken with adoption. As with any new technology, it’s not just about what GenAI can do, but about what it might cause us to stop doing.
GenAI’s Power in Communications
It’s easy to grasp why GenAI tools have found a foothold in PR. The work is built around deadlines, deliverables and the often unseen labor of researching media contacts and building communication strategies on tight timelines. Cutting hours off the writing process by automating tedious tasks is tempting.
Not surprisingly, the use of GenAI within PR has jumped tremendously. According to Muck Rack’s 2025 report, “The State of AI in PR,” 75% of PR professionals reported using generative AI in their workflows in 2024, a substantial rise from previous years. However, 50% of respondents shared that their companies do not have AI use case policies.
The use of GenAI by PR professionals is happening across tasks. Drafting press releases, putting together pitches, and generating social media content, all are eased with the help of GenAI. It has become a critical tool for assistance in overcoming writer’s block and enhancing productivity. There’s no denying GenAI’s effectiveness, but there is something to be said for taking a carful and cautious approach.
Learning to Maximize GenAI
How much do we really know about GenAI? Have we been given the information to maximize utilization? Learning to apply this tool in an effective and ethical way is paramount for developing as professionals and creatives in the GenAI age.
Director of the Immersive Media Communication Master’s Program at the University of Oregon, Donna Davis, spoke on this, saying, “It’s really important that we’re teaching our students how to responsibly, ethically, effectively and efficiently use AI. And it’s really important that students understand their responsibility as editor, proofreader, fact checker, because AI is known to make errors, or even ‘hallucinate’.”
“It’s really important that we’re teaching our students how to responsibly, ethically, effectively and efficiently use AI.”
Learning to properly use this tool will become critical for the PR profession—and likely for others, too. Reluctance to adapt has the potential to lead to the irrelevance many fear. However, education on efficient and ethical use of GenAI does not share the same adoption trend. Muck Rack’s survey found that 35% of PR professionals say their companies offer AI training—up from 21% in 2024. While these numbers cannot compare with the adoption rate, it is certainly a step in the right direction.
Don’t Forget You’re in Charge
The power of having GenAI in your toolkit is unquestionable, but it can’t solve everything. The human touch in PR remains an irreplaceable foundation. Building relationships, understanding nuanced contexts, and exercising ethical judgment are aspects where human professionals excel and machines don’t.
The integration of GenAI into PR practices offers a variety of benefits, but it also requires a strategic approach to ensure that the technology enhances rather than undermines the profession’s core values. Organizations should feel the pressure to develop clear policies and provide training to guide the ethical and effective adoption of AI tools.
GenAI in PR is a Tool—Not a Replacement
Undoubtedly, GenAI is a powerful asset in the PR toolkit, offering efficiency and support in content creation. However, the essence of public relations—building trust, fostering relationships, and conveying authentic narratives—remains a distinctly human endeavor. So don’t forget you’re the one in charge, GenAI is just a tool.
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