The ‘rise’ of AI has undeniably created a shift in the PR and marketing landscape, but it’s not for the reasons many may think. While the technology itself is not new, its public prominence has created a false narrative for businesses, often leading them to make decisions that could ultimately harm their brand.
We’re seeing a growing number of companies, particularly with the current economic climate, scaling back their professional PR and marketing guidance in favour of a smaller, in-house team. The often-misguided belief is that AI, combined with one or two junior-level staff, can replicate the strategic value of an experienced agency. This is a risky misconception that fails to grasp the real value of both human expertise and AI.
ChatGPT is not the new Marketing Manager
The truth is, AI has been a quiet workhorse in the communications industry for years. For seasoned agencies and comms professionals, it’s not a shiny new toy; it’s a tool that has long been integrated into our workflow. We’ve used it for social listening, sentiment analysis, and crunching vast data sets to identify trends and measure campaign effectiveness.
So, why the sudden hype? For many, the public-facing accessibility of generative AI has created the illusion that it can single-handedly manage a brand’s entire communications strategy. A recent HubSpot report from June 2025 shows just how quickly UK marketers have adopted the technology, with 84% now using AI daily. However, the report also offers a crucial insight: 97% of UK marketers make some form of edits to AI-generated copy before it goes live, with a quarter making significant changes.
This tells us what we already know: AI is a powerful assistant, not a replacement. It excels at accelerating repetitive tasks like content ideation, data collation, and drafting initial copy, freeing comms specialists up to focus on the things AI cannot replicate—nuance, emotional intelligence, and strategic storytelling.
Siri, is this a good sentence?
A strange trend has emerged from this new public awareness of AI. Clients are beginning to scrutinise agency copy for what they perceive as “tells” of AI-generated content such as the use of certain punctuation or a particular writing cadence. This reflects a misunderstanding not just of AI, but of the craft of writing itself.
As a recent article in My Digital Hero points out, some of the perceived “tells” of AI writing are simply the fundamentals of good, clear communication. Punctuation has existed since the written word but with auto-correct, it is no longer a conscious decision, meaning many don’t understand the ‘rules’ when it comes to proper grammar or punctuation.
Here’s a quick grammar refresher: a hyphen (-) is used to join two words (e.g., up-to-date), while an en-dash (–) indicates a range (e.g., 2024–2025), and an em-dash (—) sets off a thought for emphasis (you may have noticed I used it in the previous section’s last paragraph 😉). For anyone with a background in journalism or professional writing, understanding these differences and using them correctly for clarity is a core skill.
As a recent ProCopywriters survey highlights, the ability to write copy that is authentic, compelling, and aligned with a specific brand voice remains a key differentiator. The skill to craft a piece of content with a particular flow and cadence, and to use punctuation like hyphens for clarity and impact, is a learned art—not an AI fingerprint.
Social media without a strategy = white noise
The rise of AI truncating everyday tasks also brings us to a pervasive and frustrating misunderstanding when it comes to social media: that it is a simple task that requires little to no expertise. Because everyone has a social media account and understands how to post, the complexity of the craft is entirely lost.
The action of posting is simple by design; that is the point of social media. But to actually gain a following, make an impression, and turn that into people buying a product or listening to your brand, that is entirely different and requires much more nuance and skill. It’s about what you say, why you’re saying it, and where you say it.
The 2024 State of the Profession report from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) highlighted a worrying trend, with three-quarters of in-house professionals and 60% of agency staff identifying a skills shortage within their teams. The report noted that AI was identified as a major challenge and an area with the biggest skills gap, reinforcing the idea that the “plug-and-play” approach to social media is failing. Businesses are now seeing that while technology can help, it doesn’t solve the core strategic and creative challenges.
The real impact of the UK economy on PR agencies
While the allure of a small, in-house team is often presented as a cost-saving measure, recent data paints a more complex picture. A Q1 2025 IPA Bellwether report revealed that UK companies cut their marketing budgets for the first time in four years, with a net balance of –4.8% of firms reducing their spend. This “wait and see” approach is a direct result of geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.
However, the cuts aren’t uniform. The same report showed that spending on short-term, direct marketing and sales promotions increased, while main media advertising took a hit. Worryingly, while PR budgets showed a slight increase, the growth was weaker than in the previous quarter. This suggests that while businesses are still investing, they are looking for short-term, tactical gains over long-term brand-building, and they’re often pulling these projects in-house to save money. This short-sighted strategy is a familiar pattern in challenging times. While it may offer immediate relief, it is not a sustainable path to long-term brand growth.
Looking ahead: partnerships are the new superpower
The changing landscape of PR and marketing is not a threat to agencies; it’s an opportunity. The conversation is no longer about if we should use AI, but how. As a trusted strategic partner, a communications agency must be transparent and understand how to use AI to enhance human-led strategy, not replace it.
At dot + del, we work with in-house teams to provide experience and plug any skills gaps the team may have. We’re there to provide strategy and collaborate when our clients may be fatigued or simply can’t “see the wood through the trees” when it comes to their brand’s communications.
In an age where anyone can post and anyone can generate content with AI, the true value lies in the human ability to create a compelling, authentic, and impactful story. The nuance required to build a lasting brand, navigate a crisis, or influence public opinion cannot be outsourced to an algorithm.
Ultimately, businesses must recognise that the most effective communications strategy blends the best of both worlds: the efficiency and data-power of AI with the creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking of experienced professionals. That is where real, tangible results are made.
Do you think your comms needs a refresh? Get in touch with us today.
