Richard Bromley, director of channel notifications at Notified, explores why embracing the new technology is crucial to the industry's future success.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept for the PR and comms industry, it’s here and it’s making an impact. AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot have gained widespread traction and are used by many each week. This experimentation is setting the stage for AI integration in essential PR and comms functions such as media monitoring, writing press releases, building media databases and generating pitches. However, despite the growing popularity many professionals remain hesitant to fully integrate AI into work life.

AI could spell a bright future for comms professionals willing to embrace the change, and it is already helping teams, big and small, save time and boost efficiency. However, this does not mean that it has arrived without concern around whether it’s here to replace or enhance. What is clear is that PR and comms teams that prioritise understanding and leveraging AI today will gain an advantage, improve efficiency and remain competitive in comparison to those who do not.

A recent Notified survey conducted in collaboration with PRWeek highlights the current landscape in the US. With PR professionals in the US and the UK facing similar industry demands these findings are likely to reflect a similar experience of UK professionals.

Across both agency and in-house professionals, 70% of those working in PR would consider themselves as "somewhat" knowledgeable, compared to 12% who would say they were "very knowledgeable". This indicates that despite a general awareness many are hesitant to incorporate AI into their workflows, a hesitation could be slowing progress down.

The research also reveals a significant gap between recognising AI’s value and actively developing the skills to use it effectively. While 55% of those asked believed it’s crucial for PRs to master AI prompting skills, only 16% dedicate time to refining these abilities. This underscores a missed opportunity as AI can drive efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, aiding in research and generating content, allowing corporate comms teams to focus on higher-level strategic work. This is specifically valuable for smaller, more time-poor teams, for example, those in SMEs who do not yet have the resources to expand or work with agencies.

Core, common yet crucial tasks such as writing press releases can take time. AI can assist with the foundations of a press release, leaving professionals to enhance with creative input. Moreover, our research highlighted 11 critical functions where AI can maximise efficiency. These include data analysis capabilities, SEO, social listening, media monitoring and content creation.

Generative AI tools offer immense potential to support the fast-paced juggling act comms professionals often face. In turn, this allows professionals to invest their energy into higher-level strategic work, making time for other areas, such as shaping and building their brand stories, and connecting with key stakeholders.

At Notified, we understand the value of AI and we are integrating it into our suite of services to drive innovation and growth, while saving users time and resource. One example is a new product offering still in development due to be released in 2025. It will harness Generative AI to tailor pitches to a journalist's key interests based on their profile in our database. This will boost efficiency by identifying relevant connections for users to deliver a targeted and impactful approach to.

Despite its benefits, AI can evoke concerns around ethics, security and control. To address these challenges, comms teams, businesses and agencies must set clear policies, regulations and guidelines. It should be viewed as an addition to human expertise, not a replacement. While AI excels at efficiency and data processing, it lacks emotional intelligence and creativity essential for deep audience connection. Therefore, the true potential lies in its partnership with human ingenuity.

Ready or not, AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of the industry. It frees PR and comms professionals to focus on strategic thinking and creativity, arguably the driving pillars of the industry. Those who invest in mastering AI will thrive in the fast-changing digital landscape. Those who do not risk being left behind. The time to act is now.