How to Use PR to Grow Your Brand in the AI Era

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every corner of marketing - from how content is produced to how it’s discovered. At the same time, long-form storytelling and expert-led thought leadership are making a powerful comeback.In this new reality, public relations (PR) isn’t just a supporting function anymore - it’s a strategic engine for visibility, trust, and growth.

1. The AI Content Boom and the Trust Deficit

AI has made it effortless to generate content. With tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, anyone can produce blog posts, product descriptions, or press releases in seconds. But this convenience has created a new challenge: information overload and audience skepticism.

People are asking: What’s real? Who can I trust?

This is where PR becomes invaluable.

PR professionals don’t just write stories - they build credibility. They place authentic narratives in trusted publications, align brand voices with reputable journalists, and create the kind of earned media that audiences (and algorithms) recognise as reliable.

According to Startups Magazine, over 95% of the content cited by AI tools comes from non-paid, earned media, and around 89% originates from trusted editorial sources. In other words: if you want AI to “see” you, PR needs to be part of your strategy.

2. Long-Form Content: The Comeback of Depth

While short, AI-generated snippets dominate social feeds, audiences are rediscovering their appetite for depth.They crave expert analysis, industry insights, and storytelling that goes beyond the headline. That’s where long-form content - bylined articles, thought pieces, whitepapers, and interviews - shines.

Long-form content achieves what quick posts can’t:

• It demonstrates authority and expertise.

• It boosts SEO and “Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)”, helping brands appear in AI-driven search results.

• It builds trust by offering genuine insight, not recycled talking points.

As Startups Magazine notes, AI systems favor evergreen, expert-driven content that answers meaningful questions - not fleeting, keyword-stuffed posts. PR professionals play a crucial role here by guiding brands to create material that stands the test of time and relevance.

3. PR: The Bridge Between Credibility, SEO, and AI Discovery

Modern PR is no longer just about securing press coverage - it’s about positioning brands where humans and algorithms both pay attention.

Through earned media, PR builds:

• Authority: Getting featured in credible publications boosts your brand’s expertise signal - a factor increasingly recognised by AI models and search engines.

• Visibility: High-authority outlets are more likely to be referenced in AI-generated responses, summaries, and news briefs.

• Amplification: PR placements can be repurposed across blogs, newsletters, and social channels, multiplying their impact and reach.

In short: PR doesn’t just tell your story - it ensures that story is found, cited, and trusted.

4. Actionable PR Strategies for the AI Era

To grow your brand in today’s AI-driven landscape, focus on these PR-backed approaches highlighted by Startups Magazine:

Strategy	Why It Works
Target high-authority publications	AI tools and search engines give priority to reputable sources, making earned media more valuable than ever.
Create evergreen expertise	Publish insights that remain relevant over time - these get cited more frequently by AI and maintain SEO traction.
Be quotable and data-driven	Journalists (and AI) prefer specific insights and statistics they can reference. Be the source of that data.
Leverage niche or trade publications	Even smaller, specialised outlets can provide strong credibility signals in your industry.
Track AI mentions	Use new tools to monitor where your brand appears in AI summaries and generative search results - the next frontier of PR analytics.

5. The Human Edge in a Machine-Driven World

AI can generate words, but it can’t generate trust. Trust comes from human relationships, ethical storytelling, and emotional connection - all of which sit at the heart of PR.

The future of brand communication lies at the intersection of technology and humanity:AI amplifies what’s already credible. PR ensures that what’s credible gets amplified.

The Finale

In a world where AI can write a thousand posts in seconds, authenticity becomes the ultimate differentiator.Public relations - once viewed as a soft skill - is now the strategic core of brand growth, reputation, and discoverability.

PR helps brands cut through noise, build authority, and remain visible in both human and AI-driven ecosystems.

Because in the age of algorithms, it’s not just about being seen - it’s about being trusted.