How a Publicist Stands Against AI and Still Comes Out on Top

Every few months, someone asks me, “Sharon, with all this AI, is PR still needed?” And I smile, because this question tells me one thing: people still don’t understand what makes a publicist powerful.

AI can write. AI can analyze. AI can organize. But AI cannot replace the human heartbeat that drives real public relations. And that is where a seasoned publicist shines.

Here’s how a publicist not only stands against AI but comes out on top every single time.

1. AI Doesn’t Have Relationships — Publicists Do

You can’t program trust. You can’t download relationships.

A publicist walks into a room, picks up the phone, shows up at an event, and builds connections that AI cannot mimic. Editors call us back, not a robot. Producers trust our judgment, not a system prompt.

PR is a relationship business. And relationships will consistently outperform algorithms.

 

2. AI Can Predict Trends — But a Publicist Creates Them

AI reads patterns. Publicists read rooms.

A real publicist can feel when a story angle is about to hit. We sense what the media will care about before they even tweet it. We position clients based on instinct, experience, credibility, and timing — not just data.

We drive narratives. We shape public conversations. We create the culture, not follow it.

 

3. AI Has Information — Publicists Have Insight

Anyone can pull information.

But it takes a publicist to understand:

• Why a story is newsworthy

• How to package it

• When it should drop

• Who will care

• What will get ignored

• and how to pivot when the story changes

Insight is not a prompt. It’s a muscle built through years of pitching, rejection, wins, losses, and long-term strategic thinking.

 

4. AI Writes Content — A Publicist Gives It Meaning

AI can help with structure. But a publicist gives your message soul.

We pull from your story, your challenges, your values, and your credibility to craft a message that resonates. AI doesn’t know how to shape reputation. It can’t protect your brand when the heat comes. It doesn’t know your voice or your lived experiences.

A publicist does.

We humanize content, which is exactly what the market still responds to.

 

5. AI Can’t Go to War for You — A Publicist Will 

When your name is on the line…When a crisis hits…When rumors are floating…When you need the right media contact in five minutes…

AI can “suggest” what to do.

A publicist gets it done.

We know how to manage personalities, emotions, egos, and expectations. We know how to negotiate narratives and move rooms in your favor. That is not automation, that is advocacy.

6. AI Doesn’t Understand Community — Publicists Live in It

AI can analyze demographics.

A publicist can walk into your community and instantly get the pulse.

We speak to your audience. We listen to them. We understand their culture, struggles, and desires. We know what motivates them, and what turns them off.

Publicists thrive because PR is still a people business.

7. AI Can Assist — But a Publicist Leads 

AI can help with drafting. It can speed up tasks. But it cannot lead to your reputation.

Publicists are strategists, connectors, protectors, advocates, and vision builders. AI is a tool.

And the people who know how to use the tool come out on top.

The Bottom Line

AI may change how we work, but it will never replace why we work. A publicist’s power lies in human connection, emotional intelligence, community engagement, and the ability to turn stories into visibility and visibility into opportunity.

AI enhances PR. But publicists elevate it.

And the ones who understand that will not just survive. They will dominate.

Connect with me, and you can see firsthand how I still come out on top.