Since the emergence of widely accessible AI tools like ChatGPT just over three years ago, the PR industry has grappled with how they can be used both effectively and responsibly. Last month, Muck Rack released its annual “State of AI in PR” report, providing valuable insight into how PR professionals are—and are not—incorporating AI into their workflows. While the initial period of exploration and experimentation saw soaring adoption rates, AI usage has begun to level out as organizations better understand the technology and its place in the PR industry.
The Muck Rack report paints a clear picture of where PR professionals are seeing added value from AI tools, but it also identifies the areas where AI has yet to have a major impact. It also highlights the fact that organizations are taking a more thoughtful and considered approach to AI, with both AI training programs and AI usage policies becoming more common. However, the report also identifies several areas where PR professionals have expressed concern over the short- and long-term impact of sustained AI usage, underscoring the need for a thoughtful and carefully considered approach to the technology.
AI Adoption Rates Have Stabilized
From 2023 to 2024, generative AI usage in the PR industry rose dramatically. Just under 30% of PR professionals said they used generative AI in 2023, but that number eclipsed 60% in 2024. By 2025, usage had risen to 75%, but it has effectively leveled off at 76% in the 2026 report. This isn’t really a surprise—AI has been around for more than three years, and those who are interested in exploring the technology are likely already doing so. Appropriately, the number of respondents who say they “plan to explore generative AI” has consistently dropped with each passing year.
For those who do use AI, most agree that the technology has improved both the speed and quality of their work. According to the Muck Rack report, 82% of respondents indicated that AI makes the quality of their work “much better” or “somewhat better,” while just 2% said it makes their work “somewhat worse.” Notably, no respondents said AI makes their work “much worse.” On the speed side of things, an astonishing 49% of respondents said that AI helps them complete projects “much more quickly,” while 44% said “somewhat more quickly.” Just 1% said AI slows them down “somewhat,” while no respondents said AI slows their work “dramatically.”
These statistics tell a story. More than three in four PR professionals have incorporated AI into their workflows, and those who have done so consistently find the technology to be beneficial. While adoption rates are no longer growing at an exponential rate, they also haven’t dropped—because only a small fraction of users have found that AI hinders their work. As AI continues to grow more advanced and PR professionals become increasingly comfortable incorporating these tools into their work, the speed and quality of PR work should continue to improve.
How PR Pros Are Using AI
Let’s get to the heart of the matter: how exactly are PR professionals putting AI tools to work? The Muck Rack study found that there are four distinct areas where a significant share of respondents indicated that they incorporate AI into their work:
- Editing and Refinement (86%)
- Research and Insights (76%)
- Writing and Content Creation (74%)
- Strategy and Planning (68%)
These categories are fairly broad, and the Muck Rack study declines to expand upon them. This is notable, because some AI capabilities should be approached with greater caution than others. While AI tools like Grammarly (and even LLMs like ChatGPT) can provide valuable feedback during the editing and refinement process, using AI for writing and content creation can have significant drawbacks. Indeed, we are already seeing publications asking contributors to attest that their content was not created by AI, with some even outright rejecting thought leadership commentary if they so much as suspect AI involvement.
Interestingly, when asked what risks generative AI tools pose to the PR profession, 61% indicated that they worry clients/firms will think they don’t need content creators anymore, and another 61% said they worry content will not be as original or creative. This has sparked something of a conundrum in PR: many professionals feel they need to use the technology to enhance their own work, even as they fear it is damaging the perception of their value. A whopping 77% also cited the fear that newer PR professionals with access to AI tools will not learn the principles of the profession, degrading the quality of their work and damaging the reputation of those working in the PR field.
Other studies, including one published by MIT, confirm that this phenomenon is real—and while it doesn’t mean PR professionals should avoid using AI in their work, it does mean they should approach its use with thought and intention. While AI can help streamline a wide range of tedious or menial tasks, it’s important to avoid eroding your skill set by offloading core functionality to automated services. Improving your skills takes practice, and professionals who consistently delegate tasks like pitch writing to AI solutions risk losing their feel for what resonates with reporters and editors. AI can be a useful tool—but it’s important to use it with intention, rather than as a one-size-fits-all solution.
AI Is Shaping the PR Skill Set
Speaking of improving your skills, the Muck Rack report also zeroed in on a number of new skills PR professionals need to add to their repertoire in the age of AI. Understanding when it is appropriate to use AI—and when it is not—is important, both from a technical standpoint and an ethical one. Over 70% of respondents said that ethical decision-making regarding AI usage is a new skill PR professionals need, highlighting the fact that the PR industry is not exempt from questions about responsibility and safe stewardship of the technology. Other respondents listed AI tool evaluation and selection (55%) and data literacy (54%) as key skills, further underscoring the fact that appropriate levels of AI education and training lag behind, even in industries where adoption is high.
That said, the number one skill respondents pointed to was prompt writing and engineering. While data literacy, tool evaluation, and ethical considerations represent challenges that have existed for many years, prompt engineering is an entirely new concept. The ability to develop and optimize prompts to get the most out of LLM solutions is an emerging skill set, and one that is becoming increasingly essential for organizations (and individuals) seeking to maximize the value of their AI tools. As ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and other LLMs become increasingly integrated with widely used tools, the ability to write effective prompts will be a key differentiator.
It’s also important to understand that we are still in the early stages of AI adoption, and providers continue to promise further advancements—including autonomous AI agents. While some AI providers currently offer agentic capabilities, they have yet to impact the PR industry in a significant way. Just 12% of respondents in the Muck Rack report said they use AI agents in their work, and just 7% say they are “somewhat” or “very” comfortable allowing AI agents to take action on their behalf. Nearly 90% confirm that they would be more comfortable with AI agents if they required “clear human approval” before finalizing tasks. It highlights a clear trust gap when it comes to AI: while professionals are broadly comfortable incorporating LLMs into their workflows, few are ready to trust AI with true autonomy.
For PR professionals, this should be the key takeaway. A successful AI approach isn’t about using the technology as often as possible—it’s about having a strong understanding of where AI can have the greatest impact and where human intervention and oversight are required. Getting the most out of modern AI tools means leveraging them in a thoughtful and strategic manner, playing to their strengths while avoiding tasks where AI involvement has clear and documented drawbacks. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that AI isn’t a magic “easy button.” It’s a tool like any other—and PR professionals are learning how to use that tool more appropriately and effectively. To learn more, read the full report on the Muck Rack website.