Could you deliver a 30-minute presentation to a room full of communicators right now without saying two letters: AI?

I don’t think so.

At this year’s IPR Bridge Conference, I don’t think anyone made it through a session without mentioning it. Some presenters got close—but in the end, AI found its way into every conversation. Not as a passing trend, but as the force reshaping how we work, how we advise, and how we prove value.

I was part of that conversation as well. I had the opportunity to present alongside my colleague Katie Michel, Media Insights Manager at Fullintel, where we shared our latest research on AI search—specifically how earned media shows up in AI-generated outputs. It was exciting to contribute to a broader dialogue that explored AI from multiple angles, from adoption and workflows to trust and long-term impact. What stood out most was how these perspectives connected—reinforcing that this isn’t one conversation, but many that are starting to come together in meaningful ways.

We’re moving past “what can this do?” and into “what does this change?”

The Shift: From Execution to Advisory

One of the clearest themes across IPR Bridge—especially during the panel on the future of PR—was that we are in the middle of a “seismic shift” in our industry.

As Torod Neptune emphasized, this may be one of the most significant transformations our field has experienced. And the shift isn’t just about technology—it’s about expectations.

Leaders aren’t looking to communications teams just to execute anymore. They’re looking for perspective. For interpretation. For recommendations that tie directly to business outcomes. If we can’t map our work to a business outcome, we’re increasingly vulnerable.

AI is accelerating that shift.

Because when technology can generate content, summarize information, and even draft analysis, your value isn’t in producing more. It’s in making sense of what matters. It’s in knowing what to do with the output—and what not to do.

That’s the consultant mindset. And it’s quickly becoming the baseline.

Adoption is High—But Maturity is Not

There’s no question that adoption is widespread. Research shared by Olivia Fajardo from the Institute for Public Relations shows that communicators are already using AI heavily—primarily for productivity, followed by innovation and insights.

At the same time, broader data suggests that while nearly 90% of organizations are using AI in some form, only a small fraction would consider their approach mature.

That gap is telling.

Most teams are still in the early stages—using AI to move faster, write quicker, and streamline reporting. And that’s valuable. But it’s also just the starting point.

What I heard—and what I’m starting to see more clearly in practice—is a shift from AI as a productivity tool to AI as a strategic partner. Not replacing thinking, but augmenting it. Not just helping you execute, but helping you evaluate, prioritize, and advise.

The Idea That Stuck With Me: The Agentic Shift

If there was one session that really brought this to life, it was from Sam Stark and Martin Waxman.

They talked about the “agentic shift” in communications—a move from using AI as a tool to integrating it into workflows and, eventually, into systems that can operate within defined boundaries. It’s a subtle shift in language, but an important one in practice.

One way they framed it really resonated with me. Today, most of us are using AI like a smart intern. You give it a task, it completes that task, and then you decide what happens next. But what’s coming—and in some cases already here—is something closer to a junior team member. AI that understands your workflow, connects steps, and can move work forward within a defined scope.

That’s a different level of integration. And it has real implications for how teams are structured and how work gets done.

The Problem: “Random Acts of AI”

Despite all of this progress, most organizations aren’t operating at that level yet.

Instead, they’re in what Stark and Waxman described as “random acts of AI”—a pattern of disconnected experimentation without shared standards, governance, or measurement.

It’s something many of us recognize immediately.

Different teams trying different tools. No common approach. No clear way to scale what works.

The result isn’t just inefficiency—it’s inconsistency in quality and impact.

Which is why the real differentiator right now isn’t adoption. It’s intentionality.

Start With the Work—Not the Tool

One of the most practical takeaways from that session is also one of the simplest: start with your workflows.

Before you think about building anything, map how work actually gets done. What triggers it? What inputs are required? Where are the bottlenecks? Where does human judgment matter most?

When you look at your work that way, it becomes much clearer where AI can help—and where it shouldn’t.

That shift—from tool-first to workflow-first—is what separates experimentation from transformation.

Trust Still Matters—Maybe More Than Ever

To close out IPR Bridge, research from Kel Ridenhour, Ray Fullbright, and Joshua Estrada added an important dimension to the conversation.

Their study, Can You Trust a Robot?, explored how disclosing AI-generated content impacts perceptions of trust, credibility, and reputation.

The findings reinforce something simple but critical: transparency protects credibility, while nondisclosure creates risk.

In other words, the issue isn’t whether AI is used—it’s whether audiences feel misled.

That’s a powerful reminder that even as the tools evolve, the fundamentals of communication do not.

What This Means for PR Leaders Now

What I appreciated most about IPR Bridge this year is that the conversation felt grounded.

There’s still excitement around AI—there should be. But there’s also a growing clarity about what actually matters.

This isn’t about chasing every new tool or trying to automate everything. It’s about being intentional. About understanding where AI fits into your work—and where it doesn’t.

And ultimately, it’s about stepping into a more strategic role.

AI isn’t replacing PR. But it is raising the bar.

The communicators who will stand out in this next phase are the ones who can think beyond execution—who can interpret, advise, and connect their work to real business outcomes.

So what do we do next? 

Start small. Look at one core workflow. Understand it. Identify where AI can add value. Put guardrails in place. And build from there.

Because in this next chapter of PR, success won’t come from using AI more than everyone else. It will come from using it with more intention.