PR is human: AI can write the pitch, but it can’t take a journo for coffee.

“AI is coming for our jobs!” is being touted everywhere, but automated work falls short in an industry built on human relationships. 

PR has always been a relationship business. And while technology is reshaping how we work, it cannot replicate the depth, nuance, and trust that human connection and collaboration bring to the table. 

Take the relationship between agency and client, for example. 

Speaking frankly, many agencies offer similar services. So, what is it that keeps contracts being renewed year after year? Of course, great work, but that’s to be expected. It’s more than that – it often comes down to people who genuinely enjoy working with each other. 

Of course, it has to be said there are specialist agencies whose decades of experience in a particular sector give them a clear edge (a shameless plug for Mercieca and our decades of FMCG trade comms know-how goes here). But even then, when it comes to long-term client retention, the deciding factor is rarely just capability. It’s chemistry. 

What elevates (and elongates) a client/agency partnership is something less tangible than the visible markers of success like coverage secured, metrics met, leads generated and positive perception increased. A deep understanding of a client’s business, their pressures, their ambitions, and even their internal dynamics is essential. Which only comes from open and authentic conversation, regular facetime and effort. 

This is what also leads to securing those markers of a successful campaign, starting at the brief stage. The best PR professionals interrogate and challenge briefs in order to refine them. Not out of resistance, but out of investment into creating a campaign that truly flies. That kind of confidence only comes from trust, and trust is built over time through honest conversations, a mutual agreement to work as seamlessly as possible, respect and a genuine sense of alignment. It’s the difference between being a supplier and being a strategic partner. Again, not a depth that AI could ever reach. 

Then, of course, there’s journalist relationships. 

A well-crafted press release can only go so far. What really opens doors is credibility, built through consistent, thoughtful engagement over time. It’s understanding what a journalist actually needs, what they’re interested in, and how they like to work. 

AI can generate a pitch, but it can’t read the room. ChatGPT can’t build rapport over years of conversations, coffees, and collaborations. It can’t build the kind of familiarity that turns a cold outreach into an e-mail that’s genuinely welcomed when it lands in their inbox. 

Relationships require time, effort, and genuine care. But they pay dividends in ways that no chatbot can replicate. They create trust, loyalty and the ability to approach a long-time editorial contact with that all-important favour call-in. 

As AI continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly become an increasingly valuable tool for us communications professionals; at Mercieca, we’re not shying away from how it can streamline processes, surface insights, and support creativity. But it will never replace the human element at the heart of the industry. 

Because PR, at its core, is about humans – how we shop, consume, relate to brands and each other and of course, how we connect.