PR professionals have tripled AI use since 2023
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Three out of four communicators use generative AI at work, according to a new report shared exclusively with Axios.
Why it matters: This is nearly three times more than in March 2023.
By the numbers: Media monitoring platform Muck Rack surveyed 1,013 PR professionals from Nov. 13 to Dec. 17, 2024 and found widespread adoption of the technology, with only 6% saying they have no interest in using the tools.
- 9 in 10 say AI allows them to work faster and roughly 8 in 10 say it boosts the quality of their work.
Yes, but: Trainings and guidance on best practices are still lacking.
- More than half of all those surveyed say their companies do not have AI policies, standards and guidelines in place.
- However, agencies are more likely to offer training (43%) than in-house teams (31%).
Zoom in: AI is most used for brainstorming (82%), followed by writing first drafts (72%), editing (70%) and research (59%).
- AI adoption is more common within agencies than with in-house teams, according to the report, but only 20% of PR pros at agencies disclose all of their AI use.
The other side: Three out of four PR pros who use AI say the biggest risk is talent development, should younger practitioners become too reliant on the tools.
- Other concerns include privacy, plagiarism, output quality and the environmental impact of AI.
What they're saying: The pace of adoption by PR pros has been astounding says Muck Rack co-founder and CEO Greg Galant.
- "Mastering AI to streamline tasks and enhance content isn't just a nice-to-have — it's quickly becoming essential to staying competitive," he added.
More on Axios: Nearly all Americans use AI, though most dislike it, poll shows
