AI is everywhere right now. And in PR, it’s both genuinely helpful and a little dangerous if you’re not careful.

At Resound, we’ve been pretty intentional about how we use AI. It shows up in our day-to-day work, helps us move faster, and sometimes helps us see things we might have missed. But we’re also very clear on what AI can’t do — especially when it comes to media relationships, credibility, and telling a story that actually sounds human.

So instead of vague claims or hot takes, here’s a straightforward look at how we use AI, where we don’t, and what we think clients should understand about it.

What We Use AI for Day to Day

We mostly use AI as a research assistant and organizational tool. Here are some of the most common ways it shows up in our work:

Research and data aggregation
AI is great for pulling together information from across the web, especially when we’re hunting for a specific stat or trend that supports a larger narrative. It’s often the fastest way to get oriented, and then we verify everything ourselves.

Initial media and podcast research
We’ll sometimes use AI to surface outlets or podcasts that reach a certain audience. That said, this is very much a starting point. Results can be hit or miss, shows can be defunct, and nothing goes on a list without a human gut check.

Organizing long-term messaging
When we’ve been working on messaging for months (or honestly, years), AI can help pull everything into one place and make sense of it. Internally, this saves a lot of time and mental energy.

Data analysis and reporting support
It’s very useful for spotting patterns, computing metrics, and helping us interpret larger datasets — especially when reporting starts getting messy.

Getting unstuck
Sometimes you just need a nudge. Or a way out of staring at a blank document for 20 minutes. AI can offer thought starters or alternate angles, even if we end up going in a totally different direction.

Housekeeping and automation
Spreadsheets. Formulas. Updating agendas. The unglamorous stuff. AI helps automate those tasks so we can focus on strategy, pitching and creative work instead.

What We Don’t Use AI For (On Purpose)

This is where we draw a very firm line.

We don’t use AI to generate media-facing content on its own. Especially press releases, pitches, or quotes.

Why? Because the media can tell. And once trust is lost, it’s extremely hard to earn back.

Journalists are quick to flag responses that feel synthetic or overly polished. Quotes, in particular, need to sound like an actual human said them (because they did.)

In some cases, AI can help organize messaging into a press release structure. But that’s where its role ends. Every draft is written, edited, and finalized by a person.

We also don’t use AI blindly. Ever. Whether it’s research, media discovery, or data analysis, there’s always a hands-on review process. AI can hallucinate, pull outdated info, or surface sources that no longer exist. Human judgment is still non-negotiable.

Related Article: How to Get Your Brand Noticed by AI

The Tools We Actually Use

Our AI stack is intentionally simple.

  • ChatGPT for research, organization, and ideation
  • AI detection tools to help flag content (including client-provided drafts) that needs human rewriting
  • Platforms like Semrush and Muck Rack’s Generative Pulse to help us understand visibility and how brands are showing up, with the caveat that these tools are still early and far from perfect

In a lot of ways, we’re also using AI to analyze AI. We’re learning how these systems surface information so we can better guide clients through it.

How We Blend AI with Human Judgment

AI can offer interesting starting points. It can surface ideas we hadn’t considered. It can even help us realize when something sounds too jargony or generic.

At Resound, AI supports the work, but it never leads it. That part stays human.

What Clients Should Know About AI and PR

This is the most important part.

AI is not a replacement for a PR engine.

We’re seeing more companies, especially small or lean marketing teams, rely heavily on AI to generate content. And while there are real time-saving benefits, overusing it in PR can backfire fast.

Feeding journalists AI-written content erodes trust. Paying for tools alone won’t give you the full picture. And no platform can replace relationships, instincts, or experience.

That said, AI can be a genuinely helpful supplement when paired with a PR team that understands where the lines are. Even imperfect client input is better than silence — and we’re always happy to refine, rewrite, and humanize content together.

Bottom line: AI helps us work smarter. Humans make the work matter.

Ready to commit to a PR strategy that delivers lasting results? Get in touch with us today to learn how our team can create a PR program tailored to your goals.