AI has become ingrained across most industries, including PR and communications. But new global research suggests strategy hasn’t kept up.
A survey conducted by newskontor in partnership with thenetworkone (of which IMPACT is a member) reveals a clear disconnect. While AI is now widely used across the industry, very few agencies have a defined, structured approach to how it should be applied.
In other words: we’re moving fast, but not all in the same direction.
The study, conducted across 45 executives in 16 countries (including The IMPACT Agency), is set to become an annual AI barometer for the PR and communications industry. Its first release highlights a sector at a turning point.
More than 80 per cent of PR and communications professionals are already using AI to support content creation, yet only around one in three believe it will play a central role in the future of PR. Three quarters of respondents also cite concerns around content quality as their biggest challenge.
It’s a paradox playing out across the industry: high adoption, but limited clarity around how AI should be applied or governed.
An industry still working it out
What comes through in the research is a sector caught between experimentation, uncertainty and growing competitive pressure.
Teams are testing tools and embedding AI into workflows, often to drive efficiency. But the study shows few have taken a step back to define the role AI should play in building reputation, trust and long-term value — or how it should be managed across their business.
And that gap matters.
Strategy is what separates risk from opportunity
The issue isn’t whether PR agencies, both in Australia and globally, are using AI. Most already are. The issue is how unstructured this use is.
Without clear guidelines, a strategy or code of practice in place, teams may adopt tools internally and use them in different ways, or they may not be undertaking a thorough risk assessment of where and how AI should be used (particularly on client work).
The result is inconsistency. Messaging fragments, quality varies and oversight becomes reactive rather than deliberate.
In an environment shaped by misinformation and declining trust, that lack of structure can quickly become a reputational issue.
A more deliberate approach at IMPACT
At IMPACT, we’ve taken a considered and strategic approach to AI-use.
As a member of thenetworkone and a contributor to this research, we recognised early that AI would influence more than just how we work. It would shape how brands are understood and trusted.
Over the past 18 months, we’ve implemented a clear, agency-wide AI strategy built on three pillars:
- AI-enabled operations to improve speed, quality and efficiency
- AI-augmented consultants where AI supports thinking, but never replaces it
- AI-era reputation services that help clients build visibility, trust and authority in an AI-shaped landscape
In practice, that means:
- Every output is reviewed, refined and approved by a human
- Content is developed with accuracy, originality and brand integrity in mind
- Potential risks, from misinformation to data security, are actively assessed and managed
While much of the industry remains in an experimental phase, our focus has been on building a structured and responsible approach to how AI is used — one that protects quality, safeguards reputation and strengthens trust.
For PR leaders, or when deciding which agency partner to engage, it’s important to remember that trust remains the core currency of PR.
A clear AI strategy is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s a sign of maturity. Agencies with defined guardrails, strong oversight and a structured approach to the use of AI are better equipped to manage risk, protect reputation and deliver work you can stand behind.
If you’re evaluating your current approach to AI, or considering which agency partner can support you in this space, contact trish@impactagency.com.au.
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