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.
Click here to find out more about BCM AI PR Agency
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AI-generated content in public relations?
AI-generated content in PR is material created wholly or partly using generative artificial intelligence. It can include press releases, articles, media pitches, executive commentary, social media posts and briefing materials. AI can help with research, ideas and initial drafts, but PR content should still be checked by an experienced person for accuracy, context, tone and relevance before it is published or sent to journalists.
Should PR agencies use AI-generated content?
AI can be useful in PR, but it should normally support rather than replace human expertise. It can speed up research, generate ideas, summarise information and assist with first drafts. The problem arises when AI-generated material is published without sufficient human review. Effective PR depends on judgement, knowledge of the client, understanding of the media and the ability to recognise what is genuinely newsworthy.
What are the risks of using AI-generated content in PR?
The main risks are factual errors, invented information, generic language, inaccurate quotations, loss of brand voice and content that lacks genuine insight. AI can also produce plausible-sounding information that is incorrect. In PR, where journalists and stakeholders need to trust the information they receive, even a relatively small factual mistake can damage credibility.
Can AI write a press release?
Yes. Generative AI can produce a technically competent first draft of a press release, but that does not mean the release is ready to distribute. A PR professional should verify every factual claim, quotation, statistic, company description and source. The release also needs to contain a genuine news angle and be written for the journalists and audiences the company wants to reach.
Can journalists tell when PR content has been written by AI?
There is no completely reliable way of determining whether text was written by AI simply by reading it or using an AI-detection tool. However, experienced editors may recognise characteristics often associated with poorly edited AI content, such as repetitive sentence structures, excessive explanation, generic quotations, formulaic language and a lack of specialist insight. The bigger issue is not whether AI can be detected, but whether the content is accurate, useful and worth publishing.
Can AI-generated content damage a company's reputation?
Yes, particularly if inaccurate or poorly judged material is published under the company's name. Errors, fabricated information and generic executive quotations can undermine trust with journalists, customers and other stakeholders. The reputational risk is therefore less about using AI itself and more about publishing content without adequate editorial control and accountability.
Does Google penalise AI-generated content?
Google does not say that content is penalised simply because artificial intelligence was used to create it. Google's guidance focuses on whether content is original, helpful, reliable and created primarily for people rather than to manipulate search rankings. Large volumes of automatically generated content that add little value can, however, breach Google's policies on scaled content abuse.
Can AI-generated content rank in Google and AI search engines?
Yes, provided it offers genuine value. Google says its ranking systems focus on useful, reliable and original content rather than whether the content was produced by a person or with AI assistance. For visibility in conventional search and generative AI search, companies should concentrate on clear answers, demonstrable expertise, authoritative information, accurate facts and content that adds something useful to information already available online.
How does AI-generated content affect GEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, aims to improve the likelihood that a brand's information can be discovered, understood and potentially referenced by AI-powered search systems. Simply producing more AI-written content is unlikely to achieve this. Strong GEO content should provide clear answers to specific questions, demonstrate subject expertise, identify authoritative sources and contain original information or analysis that gives search and AI systems a reason to use the source.
Should companies disclose that they have used AI to create content?
There is no single disclosure rule covering every use of AI-generated PR content. The appropriate approach depends on how AI has been used, the type of material, the audience and applicable regulation. Google recommends providing information about AI or automation where readers would reasonably expect to know how content was created. Whatever approach is adopted, the organisation publishing the material should remain responsible for its accuracy.
How can companies use AI safely in public relations?
AI should be treated as an assistant rather than an autonomous publisher. Companies should establish a review process requiring a suitably experienced person to check facts, sources, quotations, tone, confidentiality and potential reputational issues before anything is released. Sensitive or confidential client information should also not be entered into public AI systems unless the organisation has established that doing so complies with its security and data policies.
Can AI replace PR writers and PR professionals?
AI can automate parts of the PR production process, but it cannot assume responsibility for the strategic and relationship-based elements of public relations. PR professionals decide what matters, identify the strongest story, understand journalists' requirements, challenge weak claims and advise clients about reputational consequences. Those functions require judgement and accountability rather than simply the ability to generate text.
Why is human expertise particularly important in technical and B2B PR?
Technical subjects such as energy, engineering, manufacturing, automation and industrial technology require more than fluent writing. PR content must accurately interpret complex information while making it relevant to specialist journalists and their readers. AI can assist with the process, but subject knowledge and experienced editorial judgement are important for identifying errors, understanding technical significance and turning specialist information into credible media content.
What is the best way to combine AI and human expertise in PR?
The most effective approach is to use AI for tasks where speed and information processing are useful, while retaining human control over strategy, factual verification, positioning, creativity and final editorial approval. AI can support research, brainstorming and drafting; experienced PR professionals should determine what is communicated, why it matters and whether the final material is credible enough to represent the organisation publicly.