AI Is Great at Summaries – But It Needs PR to Find Your Story

Last month I attended the Web Summit conference in Vancouver, BC. The conference welcomed about 16,000 tech enthusiasts and AI-curious folks, such as myself. I was attending, not as a speaker, nor with my networking hat on, but as a learner. For the last year, I kept hearing about how important PR is for businesses right now with the rise of AI. I wanted to understand why, without bias. Here’s what I learned.

A lesson from the Web Summit floor

A fellow agency leader told me her clients were pasting every line of ad copy into ChatGPT “so it would learn it and regurgitate it later.” Fascinating theory – and fundamentally flawed. Generative AI doesn’t absorb private prompts into a global hive mind. What it does draw from are public, high‑authority sources – the kind produced by well‑placed earned media and trusted third‑party validation.

So then where and how does your brand show up in AI?

If you’ve Googled anything lately, you’ve seen those AI‑generated summaries at the very top of your page called “snippets” or “overviews” (see the header image of this article for an example). They’re not random – they’re prioritized using Google’s ranking systems and quality signals like E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).

And what fuels those quality signals?  Good ol’ fashioned PR (i.e. earned media, press coverage, and quoted experts). So the key takeaway there is, those summaries up top: if they’re not pulling from your story, they’re pulling from someone else’s.

If your organization isn’t being quoted, covered or cited – you’re not in the AI conversation.

The next question I wanted clarity on was: Can AI do PR?

We’ve had clients ask, “Can AI do PR?” You may have read in my earlier post, “Meet Rosey 🤖, Our AI Teammate,” Yulu is building AI assistant bots for each of our clients, so there is no denying that it’s completely changing the game and propelling the speed of our work.

But as the founder of an impact communications agency, one that prides itself in our “no spin” policy, I wanted to be sure I wasn’t defending my profession out of bias. So I asked around. I read deeply. Consensus remains, humans still win when it comes to comms! Here’s why: While AI can summarize and synthesize, it can’t replace the nuanced, strategic, human‑first thinking that builds real influence. PR isn’t just about output – it’s about insight, relationships, timing and trust. And we’re not just talking PR here, we’re talking intentional communications strategies and the thoughtful execution of them.

Integrated impact communications goes beyond media hits:

• Strategic communications sets the north‑star narrative.
• Stakeholder and rightsholder engagement supplies lived expertise. Community engagement grounds the strategy in action.
• Media relations archives and amplifies that proof.

This four‑part flywheel is how our team turns purpose into searchable authority – not just to earn headlines, but to shape how AI and audiences understand your brand. At Yulu, we’ve been quietly building AI-informed communications programs that bridge media strategy with stakeholder and community insight – and the results are starting to speak for themselves.

Why now is the time to invest in full‑stack comms

In a world where AI summarizes before it searches, there’s power in making sure your story is the one it finds first. It’s not just about SEO or brand awareness – it’s about showing up as the expert, the innovator, the changemaker.

Credibility in, credibility out.

The same principles that build trust with journalists build trust with algorithms: proof, perspective, people. Strategic communications does more than amplify your message – it helps shape what becomes searchable, quotable, and shareable. At Yulu we are helping purpose-driven brands not just keep up with AI, but shape what it reflects.

A small but meaningful step forward

If you’re wondering where to start, take stock. Where is your organization already being cited by credible sources? Whose voices are carrying your mission forward – and where could they be louder? That gap is your opportunity.

Because ultimately, the AI age isn’t about machines replacing communicators. It’s about using every tool available – including AI – to elevate truth, earn trust, and build momentum. And that starts by making sure your story is part of the record.

Draft co-written with Rosey 🤖: human-led authorship by Melissa Orozco (approx. 90% human / 10% Rosey)