As is typical of emerging technologies, artificial intelligence or AI has been either raved or feared by those it affects. Some worry that it can replace them in their careers, as its efficiency can churn outputs in mere seconds, as opposed to hours of human-generated work. It can draft, analyze, summarize, shortlist, and optimize faster than any human ever could.
However, using AI is obvious to anyone who has received a robotic pitch that starts with “Dear [Journalist Name]” and proceeds to ignore everything that journalist has ever written. AI isn’t the real problem, lazy use of AI is.
When used ethically and strategically, AI can elevate public relations and influencer engagement by improving consistency, accelerating research, and enhancing creativity. When used carelessly, it damages relationships, credibility, and trust. The difference of AI-assisted output lies in human oversight and experienced PR judgment.
Where AI Actually Helps in PR
AI is best used as an assistant, not an author or decision-maker. Its real value lies in speed, structure, and support.
1. Research and Media Intelligence
AI tools can quickly:
- Scan journalist beats and recent articles
- Identify patterns in coverage topics
- Summarize past stories and angles
- Flag relevant publications and outlets
Instead of spending hours digging through archives, PR teams can use AI to surface insights in minutes. This allows strategists to focus on what matters most: relevance, timing, and relationship-building.
The ethical line is simple. AI gathers information. Humans decide what’s appropriate, accurate, and worth pitching. It is best, though, to verify AI’s sources of information, to ensure that its source is reliable.
2. Writing Smarter Media Pitches
AI can assist in drafting pitch frameworks by:
- Structuring a clear subject line
- Summarizing key story angles
- Adapting a tone of voice for different outlet types
- Refining clarity and brevity
This is especially helpful for consistency, particularly for agencies managing multiple brands or campaigns. AI helps maintain tone of voice guidelines while adjusting messaging for different audiences.
What AI should not do is send pitches unsupervised. Journalists can spot automated outreach instantly. A human PR professional must personalize, fact-check, refine the angle, and decide whether a pitch should be sent at all. AI gives you a draft. A PR expert gives it judgment.
3. Influencer Shortlisting and Research
AI excels at narrowing the field. It can:
- Identify influencers by niche, platform, and audience size
- Analyze engagement rates and content themes
- Flag brand alignment indicators
- Track posting consistency and audience sentiment
This significantly reduces the time spent on manual research. Instead of scrolling endlessly, teams start with a curated shortlist.
The ethical responsibility comes next. Humans must review context. Does the influencer’s content align with the brand’s values? Are their followers real? Is their voice authentic? No algorithm can fully answer those questions.
AI finds candidates. PR professionals handpick partners.
4. Maintaining Consistency Without Losing Authenticity
One of AI’s strongest contributions to PR is consistency. It helps teams:
- Maintain a consistent brand voice across campaigns
- Align messaging across platforms and regions
- Generate topic ideas based on trends and audience interest
- Enhance drafts with clarity and cohesion
Consistency does not mean sameness. It means clarity, coherence, and alignment, all of which still require strategic oversight.
The Ethics of AI in PR and Influencer Engagement
Ethical AI use in PR comes down to transparency, accuracy, and accountability.
- AI should never impersonate a human. Journalists and creators expect real communication, not disguised automation.
- AI should not fabricate insights or data. Any research, metrics, or claims generated by AI must be verified.
- AI should support relationships, not replace them. PR is built on trust. Relationships cannot be automated.
Agencies that use AI responsibly make it clear internally that final decisions always sit with humans who understand nuance, reputation, and long-term brand impact.
Why Human Expertise Still Matters
AI will never replace the human factor of PR. It does not understand newsroom politics, influencer fatigue, cultural nuance, or timing instincts. It does not know when not to pitch, when to wait, or when a softer approach will work better.
A seasoned PR agency knows how to:
- Refine AI-generated outputs into compelling narratives
- Protect brand reputation and credibility
- Navigate sensitive topics and crisis scenarios
- Build genuine media and influencer relationships
AI merely improves efficiency. Humans still control the effectiveness.
The Right Balance
AI is changing how good PR is done. The ethical, effective approach is clear:
- Use AI for research, structure, and ideation.
- Keep humans responsible for judgment, relationships, and final output.
- Treat AI as an enhancement tool, not a shortcut.
When AI and experienced PR professionals work together, the result is faster, smarter, and more consistent communication without sacrificing authenticity or trust.
In public relations, the human touch isn’t optional. It’s the difference between being seen and being respected.
Work with a PR agency that can strategically use PR to your advantage. Reach out to NGP-IMC to find out more.