Opinion: “AI and PR: Where Innovation Meets Ethics”

Grainne McGarvey | Pulse PR Director

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how we tell stories and in public relations, storytelling is everything. In recent months, many major newsrooms and photo desks have begun using software to detect whether images have been created or altered by AI before they’re published. That shift says a lot about where the communications industry is headed: we’re entering an era where the authenticity of content both written and visual is under closer scrutiny than ever.

AI’s Benefits for PR Professionals

For busy PR teams, AI offers both efficiency and insight. Tools can analyse data to show how messages are landing, or draft first versions of media content, freeing up time for strategy and creativity. When used well, AI doesn’t replace human thinking, it amplifies it.

The same goes for visual content. AI can help edit press pictures, improve lighting, or remove background distractions, ensuring the images we share are professional and consistent with brand standards. In a media landscape driven by first impressions, a well-edited image can be as crucial as the headline.

Where the Ethical Line Lies

But here’s the challenge: when does editing cross the line into manipulation?
AI makes it easy to retouch faces, alter settings, or even generate people and places that don’t exist. While some of this might be harmless in marketing, it raises serious questions in PR, an industry built on trust and authenticity.

As detection tools become more sophisticated, transparency around how we use AI will become essential. If a photo is AI-generated or heavily altered, that should be disclosed. If AI assists in writing or analysis, human oversight must remain central.

Striking the Right Balance

AI can make PR more inclusive, creative, and efficient but only if we use it with care. It’s about striking the balance between innovation and integrity.
At Pulse PR, we see AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a support system that helps us communicate more effectively while staying true to our values of honesty and transparency.

The future of PR will undoubtedly involve AI, but it’s our ethical choices today that will define whether that future builds or breaks trust.

Get in touch if Pulse PR can help your business: info@pulseprni.com