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Key Takeaways AI should amplify human judgment, not replace strategy, relationships or emotional intelligence.
Start small with AI, measure results, then scale what truly works.
There’s no denying that AI is reshaping how companies communicate with customers, media and investors. For business leaders, it’s not a matter of whether to adopt it but how to use it in a meaningful way that goes beyond hype.
A whopping 95% of generative AI pilots fail, according to a recent MIT study, and a lack of clear goals is a factor in many such failures. Leaders should focus on small, measurable use cases. Companies that treat AI as a strategic tool – not a silver bullet – and apply it as such will be best positioned to build credibility and stronger relationships with key audiences.
The biggest misconceptions CEOs have about AI in PR and communications
AI can enhance public relations (PR), but it doesn’t replace the need for human intelligence, empathy and strategy. Case in point: Imagine a startup CEO who decides to let her PR agency go after discovering that generative AI can write press releases. She uses ChatGPT to draft one release announcing a funding round and she then sends it directly to the newswire without a well-thought-out pitch strategy.
Not only does it get no coverage, but one journalist publicly calls it out on X for being tone-deaf and generic. The CEO learns the hard way that PR isn’t just about writing a release and lobbing it onto the newswire; it’s about relationships, media engagement strategy and timing.
Successful PR requires influence, trust and timing, all of which require human judgment. AI can streamline tasks like media monitoring, content drafting and audience targeting. However, it doesn’t understand nuance, emotional context or the reputational stakes behind every message.
Then there’s the problem of mistaking speed for strategy. A CEO at a mid-size tech firm asks the communications team to use AI to “churn out” weekly LinkedIn posts to boost executive visibility. While AI helps with consistency, the posts quickly feel repetitive and lack depth. Engagement drops.
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