Meet Your New Coworker: How PR Teams are Using AI
Published on November 17, 2025, at 12:03 p.m.
by Julia Fowler
Imagine logging into work and finding a new coworker waiting in your inbox, one who never sleeps, never takes lunch and answers every question instantly. Meet AI. Terrifying? Many think so.
For students majoring in Advertising and Public Relations, the advancement of AI raises new questions about what the future of PR work will look like. According to a recent survey by “BestColleges”, 62% of college seniors said they were somewhat or very concerned about how generative AI might impact their careers. As graduation approaches, many soon-to-be professionals are learning to see AI not as a threat, but as a tool, and a potential teammate, in the evolving PR landscape.
AI’s Role in the PR Office
AI assistants aren’t replacing future PR professionals, they’re joining the team. By automating repetitive tasks, managing information and improving accessibility, AI tools are freeing up PR pros to focus on creativity, storytelling and strategy.
According to a recent marketing report on AI in the PR industry, most professionals use generative AI to enhance their work, not replace it. The majority integrate it into their creative process for brainstorming (82%), writing first drafts (72%), and refining their own content (70%). Many also turn to AI for research and writing social copy (59%), showing how the technology is becoming a true partner in communication.
Beyond creativity, AI is also boosting efficiency. The same report found that 93% of PR professionals feel AI helps them complete projects more quickly, nearly half said much more quickly, while 78% believe it has improved the quality of their work. Together, these findings suggest that AI isn’t just transforming how PR teams operate; it’s helping them work smarter, faster and with greater creative impact.
For many professionals, that shift is most visible in the workflow itself, the “middle part” of projects where ideas turn into deliverables. AI is reducing friction in those in-between moments, helping teams move from research to execution in a timely manner.
Meagan Zeman, COO of Voiceflip, an AI member support technology company, has seen that transformation firsthand.
“AI is making the middle part smoother,” Zeman explains. “Research and reporting get handled faster, which lets teams focus on creating stronger narratives and better campaigns.”
Her perspective highlights what many in the industry are experiencing; AI isn’t taking over the creative process, it’s clearing space for it.
What AI Can’t Replace: The Human Advantage
Although AI is an amazing tool, humans will always have the upper hand. Generative AI may boost creative thinking, but it can’t produce a truly original idea on its own.
As Zeman explains, “AI can surface patterns, but people give meaning to them. I see AI as a thinking partner that helps me see connections faster, but it’s still up to us humans to decide what’s worth saying and how to say it.” Her perspective captures the essence of why human intuition remains essential. The human advantage lies in knowing when to apply human context. Zeman says that “relationship building, brand tone and storytelling all depend on human understanding. AI can write, but it can’t read a room or sense when timing is off. Those decisions need human context.”
That human touch is just as critical on the agency side. Hannah Arky, vice president at NOBODY, a social-first consultancy that helps brands and executives build influence and credibility, echoes the idea that technology should support authentic communication.
“AI can make you faster, but it cannot make you credible. That is the line,” Arky says. “Use AI for the heavy lifting—drafts, clustering insights, repurposing content—but let humans bring the nuance, judgment and voice.”
Arky and Zeman’s perspectives remind communicators that while AI may organize and optimize, it’s people who interpret, connect and create meaning, the very essence of public relations.
Embracing AI as a PR Partner
Embracing AI as a partner means learning to collaborate with technology that can amplify human creativity. As Zeman explained, “AI is challenging us to think bigger than our natural scoping abilities.” It expands what’s possible, but it also “raises the bar for authenticity”, reminding professionals that the brands who stand out will be “the ones who use AI for insight, not imitation.”
That same call resonates across the agency world. Arky believes the real opportunity lies in learning how to guide AI rather than compete with it. She notes that communicators should “treat AI the same way you treat every important tool in communications. It makes smart people even better.” For Arky, the real threat isn’t automation itself, but “refusing to evolve.”
By viewing AI as a thinking partner rather than a competitor, our role on PR teams can focus on what truly sets us apart while letting AI handle the tasks that keep ideas moving. As the next generation steps into the workforce, it is important to understand the technology and learn from it. The ones who don’t embrace AI will be the ones left behind.
The New Normal
As AI continues to evolve, it’s becoming more of a natural part of how communication happens. The “new normal” for PR is going to be how people actually apply these tools to their work. Zeman believes that the future of communication lies in this balance between technology and humanity. She explains that “AI will help brands listen better and personalize faster, but people will always be the heart of the story. The future belongs to those who use AI to bring more peace into the process and more joy into the message. When you combine real human understanding with smart technology, you don’t just communicate. You connect.”
That harmony between people and platforms is exactly what defines the next generation of communication teams. Arky describes future-ready professionals as those who are “data-literate and socially fluent,” able to “test, learn and adjust in real time.” She adds that successful teams “understand platforms and people, not just content calendars,” and that they “treat AI like an extension of the team rather than a shortcut.” For Arky, the mindset shift is simple but powerful; “Social is the center of gravity. AI is the accelerator. The job is to bring intelligence, speed and humanity together in a way that moves organizations forward.”
In this new, evolving era, PR professionals aren’t being replaced, they’re being redefined. The most successful PR professionals will be the ones who use AI as a creative collaborator and keep humanity at the center of every story. The time has come. This is the new normal.
