Why PR Teams Should Double Down on AI

The 2024 Chartered Institute of Public Relations State of the Profession report puts AI firmly at the top of the agenda for PR. But while AI holds transformative potential, many in the industry are still struggling to fully grasp it.

The problem? A lack of leadership, knowledge, and technical skills.

AI can drive results across every part of an organisation. Research from the Tony Blair Institute indicates that up to one-fifth of workforce time in central government and the public sector could be saved by using existing AI tools. McKinsey has found that similar levels of efficiency can be applied across almost all sectors of the economy. This demonstrates AI’s broad potential, yet Public Affairs and PR teams—who have the most to gain—often lag behind in fully harnessing this technology.

The CIPR report reveals that while AI is top of mind, there’s no clear ownership or strong push to drive AI integration. It identifies AI as the number one area of skills shortage. While 77% of PR professionals have received some form of AI training in the last year, we’re still far from true integration. Workplace AI policies are similarly inconsistent—67% of organisations say they have a policy in place, but many overestimate their preparedness.

Successful AI integration requires not just digital transformation but a shift in workplace culture, from leadership buy-in to cross-department collaboration. This is why we at The Future Communicator created a framework and service offering to help communications teams embed AI effectively. Through auditing, upskilling, and tool integration, we move teams from talk to action.

In our campaign work, we leverage a suite of AI tools that handle up to 60% of the workload—data analysis, research, and audience insights—while human expertise shapes strategy and fine-tunes the content.

We work with our clients on what we call the '20/60/20 approach,' where human expertise bookends the campaign like an editor-in-chief. It’s about working smarter, not replacing humans, allowing professionals to focus on creativity and relationship-building—the core of PR.

Interestingly, the CIPR report shows that human-centric activities like stakeholder and media relations, crisis management, and people leadership have become top priorities. As AI continues to improve, the best communicators will rise above the technology and provide high-value advice and relationship management to their organisations and clients.

The challenge? Many agencies are overestimating their AI readiness, while clients are becoming savvier and more demanding.

According to the CIPR report, 63% of clients say they sometimes or often ask agencies if they use AI in their work, while 70% of agencies claim clients rarely or never ask this question. This disconnect will become more pronounced as AI becomes a standard expectation, and agencies will need to be transparent about how AI is augmenting their work.

At a macro level, Keir Starmer’s Labour government is preparing a tough Autumn budget, likely involving tax increases, which may further strain client budgets. With fees already under scrutiny, clients will expect greater efficiency from agencies, and those that haven’t effectively integrated AI will feel the pressure.

The next 12-18 months will be critical. Leaders need to stop 'talking shop' and start acting. AI isn’t going away, and we must build resilience by conducting audits, upskilling teams, and embedding AI tools in a way that enhances—rather than replaces—what we do best. Agencies that act now will secure their future, while those that don’t will be left behind.

The CIPR State of the Profession 2024 report can be found here.

The Future Communicator empowers organisations to unlock their competitive advantage through AI. With a transformational framework and comprehensive workshops, we inspire and equip communications professionals with the AI expertise they need to thrive, no matter where they are on their AI journey.

Website: www.thefuturecommunicator.com