Why do you need a PR consultant or copywriter in the AI era?

Whenever there’s a revolution in an industry or technology, we are often quick to assume that a ‘new normal’ suddenly arrives and we don’t need to do things like we used to. In the 25+ years that I’ve worked in the marketing and PR world, I’ve seen more ‘revolutions’ than I’ve had hot dinners (or at least it feels like it!). Usually they arrive heavily promoted by the businesses who have an interest in them succeeding and many people feel that they have to do whatever the new thing is or they will get left behind (FOMO).

We are seeing that with AI. Is it evolving at the pace we are told it is? Or is that just PR hype to attract investment? Who knows. But what it is doing is providing some brilliant tools to help with marketing, especially graphic design and copywriting, which can streamline what we do as a profession.

It means anyone can ask ChatGPT, Co-Pilot and other platforms to write a press release or article just by prompting it with the right brief. The resulting piece will be well written and cost you virtually nothing. You might also be able to generate a decent media list using AI tools too – so you can create a press release or article and send it to the media. Brilliant… job done, no need for a PR consultant or freelancer.

However, there is a very big ‘but’ here. Do you know if the press release is actually the best it could be? Is it quoting accurate sources from third parties and published research? Is the language right for your market? And who is responsible or liable if your article or press release is published and contains mistakes?

Accuracy and quality are extremely important and that’s why it is dangerous to rely solely on an AI tool to create an article or press release. In the B2B market, your AI generated PR might not be quoting the right standards or regulations – for example, if you are in the UK construction sector, you may need to reference British and European standards but AI’s US bias may result in North American standards creeping in. Errors like this can seriously undermine a company’s credibility in the market!

So, to answer the question “why does a PR consultant or copywriter matter?” when AI looks so capable, ultimately it is about achieving the right outcome. With human generated articles and press releases, providing you work with someone who knows their market, you will achieve content that is most effective and reflects positively on a brand. References, standards, cases and technicalities can be properly reviewed and checked so the finished article or press release is of the highest quality.

Another reason for making sure your press releases and articles are generated by a real person is that many journalists and publishers can spot AI written content a mile away. The jargon, US phrases and terminology that we tend not to use in the UK can really stand out and that could mean your words are never published.

Established relationships that PR consultants have with journalists and editors are also incredibly valuable. This can contribute to positive outcomes and maximise return on investment when you pay for the services of a marketing and PR specialist.

If you would like to discuss the benefits of human-generated press releases and marketing copy, please contact us.