AI is transforming the world at lightning speed. Smart algorithms power personalised shopping, predict stock trends, and even compose music. But in public relations, so far, this technology is turning into a troublemaker. Although according to the most recent Cision data, 91% of PR professionals are now using AI, right now, it generates more headaches than helpers for PR pros like us.

As public relations specialists, we must recognise that we are still far from seamlessly integrating AI into our practices. The sooner we acknowledge this, the better. So the bold truth is that AI is complicating PR, mainly in three key ways. Let's walk through them step by step.

1. Sapping the soul from content

The rise of Generative AI has led to an influx of similar, lifeless texts and images. Feed it a prompt like "write a press release on fintech innovation," and out comes the text that's polished but soulless. There will be repetitive phrases and zero personality, and more importantly, the "AI vibe" everyone spots. 

The problem is that trust is the real casualty. Audiences question AI output because of risks like factual errors or biased training data leading to mistakes in AI results. Imagine pitching a generated piece on crypto regulations in the GCC. Reporters might dismiss it outright if it smells synthetic, especially after high-profile flops like fake news scandals.

The sad part is that in its current state, AI does not fit well in achieving these goals. Yes, it can partially help and automate some processes, but the full work remains on human creativity. In PR, the focus should be on quality and uniqueness rather than quantity. 

2. Eroding trust between media and PR

As we have already mentioned, AI’s biggest PR sin is sowing confusion at scale. Journalists have to review a batch of articles to check not only the contents themselves but also to track the AI trace. Tools like GPTZero or Originality.ai are not foolproof yet, which only adds fuel to the fire; they trip on clever human mimics or overly robotic AI tweaks.

In financial PR, where credibility is currency, a flagged pitch on market liquidity could kill coverage. Relationships built on years of reliable scoops? Suddenly became strained. Reporters waste hours verifying, breeding resentment. And if they found out your pitch or text is AI-generated, they might block you forever. The chaos erodes the mutual trust that powers earned in the media.

3. Straining Relationships with Clients

Clients feel it too, and they are pushing back hard. In our circles, executives now demand "AI-free" guarantees for LinkedIn posts or opinionated articles. Why? They fear brand dilution, one that starts with a generic AI article, which makes their story lose luster. They want to sound special and unique, and they want their story to differ. And this is very understandable, as AI makes everyone look the same. 

Synthetic content is exploding on behalf of the client as well. Many of them can try to save time by giving AI-generated answers to their interviews, but nothing can replace their tone of voice and expertise. Shorter, but human, answers can be much more valuable than longer, read by AI. 

Sometimes we have even encountered generated numbers in reports, which, of course, disrupts trust in this question and makes our team double-check everything. These chats, once routine, now test partnerships, but they also spark valuable education on human-first strategies.

Conclusion

AI tempts with shortcuts, because it helps you to save time on many tasks. However, a strong reality check is needed here. Without your critical thinking, we risk losing our core currency, which is trustful relationships with everyone involved: journalists, media, clients, and audiences.

The good news is that AI with sufficient oversight and checking, and training can become smarter and write texts or releases better than now. We just need to teach it how, and over time, it will become more useful. For now, agencies should enter the Ethics Code for PR and Gen AI. 

For instance, we could co-create one right now: mandate human oversight on all client-facing work; require clear disclosure (e.g., "AI-assisted draft, human-edited"); ban AI for sensitive areas like regulatory updates; and roll out regular "AI literacy" training for teams. In fintech, we'd layer in extras like GDPR-compliant prompts only and mandatory bias checks for diverse markets.

We should note this is not anti-AI. On the contrary, it establishes a guideline for its pro-integrity stance. By championing ethics and transparency, we sidestep pitfalls, rebuild trust, and lead the charge. PR pros, let's draft that code together. What guidelines would you add?