Rethinking the PR Career Path in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming early-career paths in public relations (PR) by automating routine tasks and accelerating work processes. But human skills such as strategic thinking, creativity, and empathy remain crucial.

After recently participating in panel discussions with students and faculty from the University of Denver and the University of Colorado, one theme stood out clearly: artificial intelligence is reshaping the path for early-career communicators.

For students preparing to enter the workforce, the story of AI is not one of job loss but of job evolution. This new technology is changing how professionals learn, grow, and create value inside agencies and organizations.

AI Is Changing the Work, Not Replacing the Worker

The narrative that AI will replace communications and marketing roles is misleading. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in public relations and related fields is projected to grow 5% by 2034, which is faster than average for all occupations. The demand for storytelling, strategic thinking, and human connection remains strong.

What is changing, however, is how people gain experience. Entry-level professionals once spent hours on the foundational work that taught them the PR business. Building media lists, tracking coverage, researching reporters, and compiling client reports were training grounds, not just tasks.

Now, tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity automate much of that effort. The administrative work is faster, but expectations are higher. Because professionals can produce more, they are expected to contribute more. The shift is not about replacement; it is about acceleration among PR professionals.

The Learning Gap in the Age of Automation

Efficiency can create its own paradox, however. When processes become more efficient, the demand for output often grows. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has noted in multiple studies that efficiency technologies tend to expand overall productivity while simultaneously raising performance expectations across industries.

This pressure is what many new graduates are experiencing. AI speeds up the work but shortens the apprenticeship. The risk is that new professionals may miss the slower, observational learning that develops and cultivates instinct and judgment.

Some examples of why young PR professionals should not be over reliant on AI:

• AI can find reporters, but it cannot teach why certain journalists frame stories a particular way.
• AI can summarize media coverage, but it cannot identify which narratives truly move a market.
• AI can assemble briefing materials, but it cannot show how a spokesperson adapts under pressure in a live interview.

Those lessons come from exposure, observation, and context­—the elements that still make humans indispensable in communications.

Three Ways to Build Expertise in an AI-Driven Industry

For aspiring public relations professionals, I suggest concentrating on three fundamental strategies to enhance their credentials.

1. Strengthen your information literacy. Spend time each week reading directly from reputable sources such as Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and industry-specific trade publications. Go beyond summaries or AI-generated digests. Learn which journalists cover which beats, how headlines differ across outlets, and what tone resonates with audiences. Real expertise starts with real reading.
2. Learn from live interactions. Whenever possible, sit in on client meetings, media briefings, and strategy sessions. Observe how communicators build rapport and adjust messages in real time. As the Pew Research Center has found, interpersonal and adaptive communication skills are among the most valued by employers in an AI-enabled workplace.
3. Use AI to create space for strategy. AI can handle routine tasks, but it should free you to focus on insight and innovation. Use it to brainstorm, outline, analyze, and strategize, but keep ownership of the ideas, context, and decision-making. The goal is not automation but amplification.

Human Skills Still Define the Field

AI continues to advance, but the human side of communication remains irreplaceable. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report (2023) identified analytical thinking, creativity, and empathy as the top skills that will increase in value through 2030.

For emerging PR and marketing professionals, success will come from combining the speed of AI with the discernment, creativity, and ethical judgment that technology cannot provide.

As I shared with students at DU and CU, the future of PR will not be written by algorithms alone. It will be led by professionals who understand how to use AI as a tool, not a teacher, and who continue to build the curiosity and perspective that make communication both strategic and human.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024): Occupational Outlook Handbook, Public Relations Specialists.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (2023): Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0).
• Pew Research Center (2023): How Americans View Artificial Intelligence and Human Skills in the Workplace.
• World Economic Forum (2023): Future of Jobs Report 2023.
• Reuters (2024): AI’s Expanding Role in Professional Services.