How to leverage AI for PR, press releases and guest articles without sacrificing credibility, trust, or impact
GenAI has quickly become a powerful tool in communications. It creates efficiency at scale and can reduce busy work for time-strapped teams and professionals. That’s tempting when it comes to creating public relations content. But it can backfire.
Over-reliance on GenAI in public relations can erode credibility, damage media relationships, and weaken your brand. To be clear: we are fans of GenAI at Clearpoint, and the goal isn’t to avoid AI but rather use it wisely. Here’s what professionals should be cautious of when leveraging AI in public relations efforts.
Using AI to write press releases
Yes, Gen-AI can write your press release. But the questions you need to ask are: Will it be, well, good? Will it be accurate? Will it be filled with so much hyperbole that readers and editors will discount it?
Unfortunately, AI is not the panacea for fast (and well-written) press release. However, it can be a good assistant.
For press release we recommend that instead of using a prompt, think of it as creating a very thorough “brief” on the news including stats that have been vetted, facts you have checked and important aspects of the announcement. Gen-AI can be a real time saver when you need to organize disparate stats, create lists and summarize complex data in a press release. But plan on writing or editing the headline, sub headline and lede.
Plan to edit the GenAI press release draft heavily for tone and to support brand differentiation. We also find that GenAI tends to use a lot of adjectives and can be wordy.
- Create a detailed brief (if this doesn’t take you some time, you’re doing something wrong)
- Include your vetted stats
- Look for hyperbole and adjectives that don’t have a place in a news release
- Edit heavily – Gen-AI is a tool not a writer
- Ensure it is written in AP Style, uses an inverted pyramid style, and contains the facts that journalists and editors require
- Humans will read the news; ensure it tells the story you want to tell.
Don’t use AI for thought leadership and contributed articles – journalists and editors screen and
can tell
When it comes to writing thought leadership articles for publications, avoid using AI to write these types of articles. Period.
Editors agree to provide space for to some contributors to provide opinions, educate on a topic, and provide guidance on a subject matter that they are considered experts on. They are looking for original content that is not available on other sites (and often their reputations hinge on it), and they don’t want to hear what an AI bot has to say about it.
Many editors warn PR practitioners and contributors, “No AI-generated content accepted.” They may also test to determine if the article you submit was created by AI. We have even had editors state, “Don’t even use AI to polish the article.” They mean business, and the time you try and sneak in AI-generated content will be the last time that editor will work with you.
- Don’t use GenAI to draft guest articles, opinion pieces or Q&A style interviews
- Refrain from using GenAI to polish your contributed article – that can be detected by editors too
- Do use GenAI for ideation, search and advice on topics if you are struggling to weave together for your article
- If you use AI to research statistics and industry trends, confirm that the links and information is accurate
Accuracy & Hallucinations: A Credibility Buster
GenAI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity may generate incorrect information, including out of context statistics, outdated data, and even non-existent sources.
In PR, where accuracy is vital, this creates a real problem. GenAI can help you generate drafts, but verifying the accuracy of the content rests with humans.
- Proofread carefully
- Verify all sources for statistics – ensure that you visit the source online to verify it’s real and then provide credit to the author and a backlink to the source.
Best Practices for Using GenAI in PR
- Start with human insight: Use AI to refine, not originate, core messaging
- Be thorough in your input: Create a detailed brief rather than a prompt
- Fact-check: Verify every statistic, quote, and claim
- Customize for voice: Edit heavily to reflect your brand and executive perspective
- Use AI as a collaborator, not an author: Maintain clear human ownership of final outputs
- Train teams intentionally: Establish guidelines for when and how AI should be used
Generative AI is a powerful tool—but in public relations, it is important to proceed with caution. Tools don’t build credibility. People do.
Effective communications are shaped by insight, knowledge and experience, and should be delivered with authenticity. GenAI can support the PR process, but it can’t replace the strategic thinking, brand storytelling, and media relationships that define great PR.
By Bonnie D. Shaw
President
Clearpoint Agecny
Bonnie leads brand positioning, messaging, and PR strategies at Clearpoint Agency, a team of award-winning PR practitioners, marketing strategists, business consultants, writers, and creatives who get to the point, find solutions, and drive results. She uses her broad experience to craft objective-driven comms strategies and create an authentic voice for clients that differentiates, engages and builds trust. Bonnie is often a featured speaker and guest author on PR strategy, social media, and connecting with audiences. She and her teams have been recognized with 45+ awards of excellence for PR and marcomm.