Finding the Humanity in PR: Balancing PR Essentials and AI

When I started my PR career, AI could already draft a pitch, curate a list of reporters, uncover questions people are asking about your client and monitor media mentions, all before 10 a.m.

For most interns and entry-level employees, AI has made acclimating to a new role easier and allowed us to dive straight into meaningful work instead of handling repetitive tasks. But career growth now faces a new roadblock. There’s a fine line between using AI as a tool and using it as a crutch.

Avoiding certain hard skills early on could stagnate growth later down the road. When I think about what makes our leaders so great, it’s not their stellar usage of Copilot; it’s the clear experience, skill and effort that has compounded over many years of practice.

PR professionals who started their careers well before the era of accessible AI have strong foundational skills AI can make more efficient. For newbies like me, we must balance AI usage with building core skills. Here are some things I’d share with someone just starting out, coming off my first six months working in PR.

Draft Everything With Your Brain First

Only I know exactly what I mean. AI does not. Even if you don’t say it in the most elegant way, get your thoughts down on paper first. I’ve written many pitches I’ve later asked AI to strengthen or clarify, but the strongest parts are often the pieces I’ve crafted myself. As I’ve gotten more practice, I notice what LLM suggestions make pitches stronger versus dull them down.

Write Your Own Emails

Quick replies, especially notes to reporters or clients, have no business being drafted by AI. The entire point of this kind of communication is relationship building and personalization. Your client can’t build a relationship with you if you’re not taking the time to write in your own natural voice.

You may say, “Client comms is scary, especially starting out!” And to that I say, “yes.” But if you’re lucky enough, you’ll be surrounded by an agency of professionals who will be more than happy to review the short note to a reporter you’re overthinking (guilty 🙋🏻‍♀️️).

Use AI To Listen, Intuition To Understand

As one of my Next PR mentors Liz says, “AI can analyze trends and sentiment, but it can’t truly read the room.”

AI notetakers are a game changer, but they should help you be a better listener – not a worse one. Using an AI notetaker to capture the gritty details allows me to focus on the true bread and butter of the conversation: the client’s emotions. An AI summary post-call shares every word spoken, but oftentimes, it doesn’t capture the full context.

Your client discussed an upcoming press release – did they seem nervous? Excited? AI isn’t going to answer that, but a person can. Recognizing which feeling might alter your approach entirely, from writing to distribution.

Understand How Your Organization Uses AI

Next PR uses AI tools like Signal AI and BuzzSumo to identify relevant media mentions of our clients and their competitors. We also use Semrush to inform pitching and content gaps to improve SEO and AEO. Ask your manager about how these tools are used and dive in yourself to see how they work. Being curious about how AI can be and is being used in PR will ensure you remain up to date and have the best skill set going forward.

Additionally, AI tools may be your agency’s differentiator, as you’re able to offer your clients the best possible tools for media coverage and tracking. An agency that leverages AI to automate tasks and improve workflows, such as surfacing relevant media mentions, is fundamentally different than an agency where AI does all the thinking.

Ask Your Coworkers Questions, Even If You Know AI Can Answer Them

Asking questions can oftentimes feel like a burden, especially in an entry-level role, but here, it’s been something my coworkers celebrate. It shows my interest, thought process and attention to detail. It also allows for efficiency down the line when you clarify things from the start.

Although AI could probably tell you how to use Google Analytics, if a colleague is willing to walk you through the platform, choose this option every time. It’s a chance to learn within the context of your company, have a back-and-forth dialogue, and most importantly, network.

Seventy-one percent of millennials say they default to AI tools before asking a colleague for help. That’s many interactions missed and a fundamental loss of the sense of belonging that collaboration brings.

I’m early on in my career, but I think often about a world where we allow AI to automate beyond reason, and we lose the very talent that trained models in the first place. AI can make your learning more efficient, but it’s not a replacement for developing hard skills. Strong writing, client communications and research abilities, as well as creative instincts built over time, are the path to PR success.