What is the future of PR?
The future of PR is being shaped by a tension: the rise of technology and the renewed value of human connection. As AI reshapes the way we create, distribute and measure content, the fundamentals of good PR – storytelling, relationship building and trust – are becoming even more essential.
Cision’s 2025 State of the Media Report identifies that over 50% of journalists globally are now using generative AI tools, with 71% not strongly opposed to or happy to receive AI-generated content as long as it is well crafted and accurate, a sharp pivot from the early AI resistance in the media industry.
Increased AI use leads us to a question of ethics. Whilst there is no doubt that AI is going to become more commonplace in the coming years, a level of transparency and the retention of a human touch to ensure reliability of content and a reduction in bias must be maintained. Brands or agencies that rely too heavily on AI without proper ethical guardrails risk damaging trust amongst journalists and audiences alike.
Ethical AI use is only one part of the technology shift shaping the future of PR – brands must also contend with a saturated digital era where standing out is increasingly difficult.
A superabundance of online content coupled with increasingly algorithm-driven feeds means even the biggest brands aren’t getting the organic exposure they once had. When journalists are stretched thin and audiences for traditional media are in decline, PR professionals need to look beyond organic content and earned media, focusing on multi-channel campaigns to amplify reach.
According to a 2024 Ofcom report, 71% of UK adults get their news from online sources, with 52% regularly using social media platforms to access news. With sources so fragmented across platforms, formats and online communities, this presents both challenges and opportunities for PR. National news coverage still has its place but brands need to activate regionally, with culturally or geographically relevant hooks, working with local influencers, creators and hyperlocal activations to reach the communities that matter.
These shifts in how audiences consume news mirror the internal changes happening within newsrooms themselves. Whilst meeting with a veteran Reach PLC journalist the other week, he spoke on a recent restructure in his office, which saw a quarter of his team made redundant, primarily senior reporters and editors with years of experience. The restructure was attributed to cost-saving measures and a shift in focus to scale the digital side of the business, live reporting and video content. It’s a familiar story repeating in newsrooms across the UK, with 3,875 redundancies publicly announced in 2024.
The number of journalists available to read pitches, verify stories and commission features is shrinking. It is now more important than ever for PRs to deliver tighter, clearer, more immediately usable story angles with strong visual assets, and provide easy access to spokespeople. Quickly changing staffing rotations also require a renewed focus on building and refreshing personal relationships through meaningful in-person interactions, and staying on top of new hires, role changes and content trends for key publications. The rise of video-led coverage and live reporting means traditional thought leadership or longform pitches may be deprioritised unless tied to a visual or real-time angle, with stories that lend themselves to short clips, quick social hits or ongoing live updates performing better.
In short, the future of PR won’t simply be about the most technologically advanced agencies; it will be about those that can harness AI and balance it with the rudimentary elements of solid PR: ethics, credibility, creativity and great storytelling.
Sources
- Cision – “2025 State of the Media Report”
- Ofcom – “News consumption in the UK 2024 report”
- Press Gazette – “Around 4,000 journalism job cuts made in UK and US in 2024”