The greatest challenge for the PR and Comms sector in the next twelve months is not that clients are unwilling to spend on PR. Not the ‘general economic conditions’. Not any reduction in PR opportunities either.
It’s adapting and integrating AI technologies effectively.
This is the unequivocal take by a third of global public relations and communications consultancy members.
In the 2025/2026 ICCO World PR Report issued by the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), 34% of global respondents – from ICCO’s network of 23 associations, representing PR and communications agencies worldwide- declared that ‘adapting and integrating AI technologies effectively’ is the PR and Comms sector’s greatest challenge in the coming twelve months. Also, one in ten respondents (8%) said that in the past year ‘ AI-driven communications and content development’ has been a “growth service area”.
AI’s impact is felt everywhere today, and thus, it’s no surprise that the PR sector is too facing the same headwinds. Still, not many expected that AI would be in the vanguard of PR’s lineup of challenges in the next twelve months to come.
Or, many more months to come.
What gives?
PR and Comms are about managing reputation. In such a background, ‘Relationships’ and ‘Relationship Building’ are fundamental pillars of PR and comms-so much so that the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) goes to the extent of defining PR and comms through “relationships”:
“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”(Sage Publishing-Relationship Management Theory-Edited by: Robert L. Heath)
Relationship Building is PR’s core engine. With AI forcing its way into PR at warp speeds, what kind of changes would PR likely brace for in the near future?
Firstly, an end to Spray and Pray. PR industry often has to produce standard content and spray it across the board-and praying it would hit somewhere. This is the most well-known way to deliver, though it equally consumes resources heavily; time-wise as well as costing some good relations built with media. AI can turn this situation around by targeting specific audience segments and making the ‘standard content’ highly relevant, pushing such content immediately at high speeds and analyzing earlier journalists’ content on the same to fine-tune it.
Secondly, AI can take up routine PR work such as media monitoring and listening, coverage reporting (“daily clipping of media reports,” etc.), thereby freeing up valuable time for strategic PR and advisory work.
Thirdly, AI can assist in media relationship building: Constantly updating media databases and building media lists, and even initial screening of incoming inquiry calls.
Fourth, AI can help in internal communications: Combine reports from marketing, sales, HR, business development, finance, etc., into a singular information stream where relevant employee segments can become aware of the same content at the same time-and adjust internal departmental goals accordingly.
What is important is to understand that AI will remain a challenge -not only to the PR industry but even to other industries-if the focus is to treat it for simple, routine tasks (For E.g in PR, for copywriting).
The correct way forward is to leverage it-but more so, by using it to fuel industry’s human capital…
