Last month a longtime client emailed me a press release that looked nearly ready to send.
When I asked who wrote it, they admitted (half-proudly), “Honestly? ChatGPT did most of it. I just cleaned it up.”
We both laughed, but the press release had already been finalized internally, and we (their PR team) could not make changes. Naturally, the pitch flopped with reporters. It was polished, but it lacked the specificity and why-now hook journalists need.
The Evolving Client Relationship
That moment isn’t rare anymore. Generative AI is reshaping the PR–client relationship quickly. According to Muck Rack’s 2025 State of AI in PR report, 75% of PR pros now use generative AI, nearly triple early-2023 levels. Ninety-three percent say it speeds up their work, and more than 75% believe it improves quality. Among marketers overall, 95% use AI tools monthly, with a third using them daily. Yet over half of PR teams have no formal AI policy.
Clients see those numbers and assume the machines can do PR jobs. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can draft a release in seconds, but speed isn’t always a great strategy.
Here are eight tips for staying relevant, respected and paid (while using AI).
- Set the record straight on quality: Explain that AI drafts often sound generic and lack sourcing or newsworthiness. Reporters want fresh angles, real data and human quotes. Those are things algorithms can’t fully deliver.
- Protect your value (and your budget): When a client thinks “the robot can write it,” retainers are at risk. Reframe PR as strategic storytelling, media relationships and credibility.
- Spot AI “tells”: Watch for repetitive sentence patterns, over-polished phrasing and sweeping but unsourced claims also known as "AI workslop." Tools like GPTZero or Originality.ai can help, but human oversight matters more.
- Talk in outcomes and not ownership: If you suspect AI-heavy drafts, stay neutral. Ask how the piece was created and pivot to results: “AI can speed things up, but journalists still need X, Y, and Z to consider a pitch.”
- Add AI guidelines to your SOW (Statement of Work): Clarify whether AI-generated drafts are acceptable, who provides the final fact-check and how revisions are billed. A written policy protects both sides.
- Offer AI editing and fact-checking-as-a-service: Don't fight the tech. Monetize it. Position yourself as the human layer that makes AI output credible, accurate and media-ready.
- Use saved time for higher-value work: Leverage AI for first drafts or research so you can focus on strategy, thought leadership and relationship-building.
- Own the narrative: Generative AI isn’t going away. Pros who integrate it ethically, set boundaries and showcase the strategic human element will remain indispensable. Machines can draft copy but they can’t replace trust, creativity, or hard-won media relationships.
How to Respond
The next time a client asks, “Can we use ChatGPT for this?” Don’t just answer yes or no. Show them how it can fit into a strategy only you can deliver. For example, a ChatGPT-generated draft based on a product marketing team’s explanation of new features can save time compared with starting from scratch. From there, the PR pro can refine the “why now,” add storytelling context and elevate the piece from a simple news update to a compelling narrative.
The future of PR isn’t man versus machine. It’s the pros who can turn AI into an advantage that will win client budgets, trust and headlines.
Lindsey Bradshaw is a Freelance PR Consultant for