PR in the Age of AI: Adaptation Is the Advantage
By: Linda Horiuchi, PRSA-NY Board Member, Marketing Committee
Key Takeaways
AI won’t live up to the hype - no technology does - but just like others, it will reshape everything
Careers will shift in ways we don’t fully anticipate yet
Continuous learning and experimentation are no longer optional - they are now core competencies
“Team Human” will prevail, but only if we actively shape the outcome
AI is already transforming how communications professionals work, but the real challenge is separating signal from noise. At PRSA-NY’s April 21 event at Hunter College, Sree Sreenivasan, a leading voice in digital strategy and AI, joinedMelissa Korn of The Wall Street Journal for a candid conversation on what AI actually means for PR professionals now - not in theory, but in practice.
PRSA-NY President Paul Cohen opened the session by framing AI as a defining force reshaping communications, with the discussion focused less on hype and more on how communications professionals can navigate and apply AI effectively. As he noted, PRSA-NY programming is grounded in practical and actionable insights that help members stay sharp, connected, and relevant as the profession evolves. This event delivered on that mandate: less theory, more application.
AI Hype vs. Reality: A Familiar Pattern, A Different Scale
AI may feel like a sudden breakthrough, but as Sree emphasized, it has decades of history. He underscored that AI is not new, reminding us that Stephen Spielberg had a movie called “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” as a cultural marker dating back to 2001
What is different is the shift in public sentiment. In the 1990s, with the advent of the Internet, Americans were generally optimistic about its impact. Today that optimism has shifted, with studies (Pew Research, Gallup) showing a majority expressing concern about AI’s risks and implications.
To ground that evolution, he recommended two books:
“The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence” by Sebastian Mallaby
“The AI Ten Commandments,” which Sree described as one of the first major books with AI (GPT-5) as a co-author along with Jamie Metzl
A visual moment brought this tension to life. Sree highlighted Time Magazine’s “Architects of AI” cover (Dec. 11, 2025), a modern reinterpretation of the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo from 1932.
The side-by-side comparison (see accompanying images) surfaced several observations from attendees:
The original captures ironworkers during the construction of Rockefeller Center, a staged yet authentic real-world moment
The Time Magazine cover of AI leaders presents a more diverse group of people
The human interaction present in the photo is notably absent in the Time Magazine cover illustrated by artists
When Melissa Korn asked whether Sree considers himself a techno-optimist, Sree struck a balanced tone: “I advocate using AI, everything will change. It’s important to be prepared. Try it!” He also positioned himself as both a techno-skeptic and techno-evangelist.
What This Means for Your Career: Skills, Mindset, and Next Steps
One of the clearest throughlines of the evening was the impact on careers. Roles will change, though the extent remains unclear.
Sree’s advice was pragmatic:
Attend sessions like this to stay informed
Read widely and continuously
Experiment with AI tools
Ask yourself: If you were your boss, why should they keep you?
He also emphasized the importance of demonstrating uniquely human capabilities: doing work without AI to show the skills and judgment that technology cannot replicate.
Tracking the rapid proliferation of AI tools can feel overwhelming, but that challenge itself creates a differentiation opportunity. Developing an “AI mindset” – staying curious, experimenting regularly, and treating learning as continuous – is quickly becoming table stakes for communications professionals.
Melissa reinforced a critical point: judgment remains a defining skill in both PR and journalism.
Team Human: The Real Competitive Edge
Sree closed on an optimistic note: “Team Human will prevail.” But he paired that with a more challenging question – what kind of humans will that be?
He underscored this with a quote: “AI won’t replace humans. Humans using AI will replace humans not using AI.” — Daniel Pink, bestselling author and expert on the future of work
This reframes AI not as a threat to jobs, but as a shift in competitive advantage. Those who integrate AI into their workflows will outperform those who do not.
Additional Resources from the Session
For those interested in exploring further, Sree Sreenivasan shared his presentation from the session, including additional material not covered live, such as an “AI wishlist” exercise with Chief Communications Officers in India and Sri Lanka (slides 44–55).
Slides: http://tinyurl.com/sreeprsany
We’re grateful to Sree for sharing his time and perspective with PRSA-NY. To stay connected to his thinking and support independent journalism, you can subscribe to his free newsletter:
Closing Thoughts
AI is powerful, imperfect, and inevitable.
The advantage will not come from avoiding it, but from engaging with it thoughtfully, critically, and consistently. As this session made clear, the future of PR will not be defined by AI alone, but by how effectively communications professionals choose to use it.
Acknowledgments
A big thank you to Hunter College’s Film & Media Department for hosting and the college's David Pavlosky and Peter Jackson for logistics, planning, and equipment support.Special thanks toour host Colin DeVries, clinical media relations manager, NYU Langone Health and adjunct assistant professor at Hunter College, as well as Hunter College student volunteers Allyssa Comagon and Cristofer Velasquez for welcoming attendees, and Ray Rahim for supporting sound and visual media setup.