How AI fuels PR Burnout (and How to Fight Back)

Key insights:

• Nearly two-thirds of PR pros report burnout. Almost half say AI-driven workloads and unrealistic expectations are key stressors.

• While AI speeds up routine tasks, it often raises performance expectations. This scenario leads to more pressure and, paradoxically, reduced productivity.

• AI’s ability to monitor and respond in real time has heightened expectations for humans to be constantly available.

• The technology’s real benefit lies in its use for repetitive tasks, while strategic, creative and relationship-driven work should be handled by humans.

• PR pros should limit tool overload, set realistic AI expectations and centralize workflows to reclaim balance and creative focus.

It’s official: In the age of AI, PR pros are more stressed than ever. 

In the latest State of Us report* on mental health in communications and digital PR, nearly two-thirds of participants said they’ve experienced burnout or extreme stress in the past year. Nearly half said new technology, such as AI, directly contributed to their stress levels. 

If your workload has increased over the last few years as a result of AI, at least you now know you’re not alone. But as more tools hit the market almost daily, the real question is: How do you navigate a digital PR world that continues to move at the speed of light?

Fortunately, burnout isn’t the only way forward. With the right approach, you can learn how to use AI in ways that truly support your work and your mental health.

Does AI in public relations make work easier or harder?

On the surface, AI is an incredible tool. Automated workflows, less admin, instant answers. What’s not to love? Unfortunately, PR expectations have skyrocketed as more tools have entered the market. 

Now, tasks that would have taken a whole morning, like curating a press list, are expected to be completed in mere minutes. It’s little wonder some PR pros start to twitch when they hear, “Why don’t you just use ChatGPT?”

The truth for most public relations professionals (in every industry) is that unless AI is implemented intelligently, it can actually decrease efficiency. 

In an Upwork study, 77% of surveyed workers said that AI tools have decreased their productivity and/or added to their workload. The report also found that 47% of those who use AI didn’t know how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expected.

Amy Kenigsberg, COO and Co-Founder of K2 Global Communications, confirms that expectations have shifted. “Clients are demanding that we use AI to make everything better and faster, without the clear understanding that AI requires significant oversight. PR professionals have consistently been required to do more with less; now clients are asking us to do even more, without a clear understanding of the process.”

Why are PR professionals under more pressure in the AI era?

AI can, of course, add value. “Clients now appreciate that we can leverage AI to pull industry trends, competitor activities and high-level notes quickly,” says Bonnie Moss, President and Founder of Moss Networks. “This helps us not only as a performance enhancer but also to optimize and pivot our activities for clients.”

However, indiscriminate use of the technology can create more problems than solutions. When clients or managers overestimate what AI can do or set unrealistic expectations for productivity, the risk for stress and burnout increases.

Let’s take a closer look at how AI can add unnecessary pressure for PR professionals.

1. It perpetuates the “always on” culture

Since the rise of GenAI, many PR professionals have felt even more pressure than before to be constantly connected and available at all hours. There’s a rising expectation to monitor updates, respond to opportunities and react to potential crises in real time.

While AI tools for media monitoring and outreach have, for example, expanded what’s possible, they’ve also blurred the line between proactivity and availability. These systems can surface endless suggestions and alerts, but unless they’re carefully managed, they can flood PR teams’ inboxes with noise instead of insights.

2. It supposedly delivers a shift to “higher-value work”

It’s often said that AI can handle tedious work, thereby giving PR professionals more time for creative or strategic work. In theory, that’s a huge win. In practice, however, this shift often comes with hidden pressure.

We can all agree that AI can, for example, streamline data management and research. But when expectations for “higher-value” output rise faster than actual capacity, stress inevitably follows.

Yes, AI can take over many day-to-day tasks, but it doesn’t replace the full scope of a PR professional’s workload. For example, AI can help draft the first version of a press release, but a professional with deep brand and target-audience knowledge must still set the tone, context and narrative to ensure good results. 

3. The tech “can do everything,” so humans are obsolete

The idea that AI can “do everything” fuels one of the most common AI-related fears: that the technology will replace digital PR jobs. After all, if AI can draft a press release in seconds, what value does a PR professional bring to the table? 

It’s a natural question, but the real problem here isn’t AI. It’s black-and-white thinking, which adds to the pressure PR pros already feel.

The fact is that seasoned PR practitioners’ value goes far beyond stringing the right words together. These professionals build meaningful relationships with journalists and other stakeholders and have years of expertise in how to talk to target audiences at the table. Their strategic insights, emotional intelligence and ability to navigate nuance and context simply can’t be replicated by AI. 

Unfortunately, the PR pros themselves often fall into the trap of AI overuse, especially in content production. Bonnie adds a word of caution for PR professionals: “While AI might make things look and sound pretty, you’ll lose the unique value you bring if you give it too much ownership over your content and strategy.”

Amy notes that AI is great for basic research, such as creating media lists. “Instead of spending hours putting together lists, AI shortens the process significantly. AI is also good for first drafts, but ONLY first drafts. You never want a piece of AI-written content to leave your office.” 

What AI can do is give you a chance to prove ROI in new and interesting ways. AI can, for example, help you measure and demonstrate the value of your PR campaigns. This could free up time to, for example, prepare the CEO for a tough interview or ideate around how to turn a potential public relations crisis into a brand success story. 

How PR pros can reclaim their worklives

In essence, AI tools don’t deliver value on their own. 

For PR teams to truly benefit, they need to know how to effectively incorporate the technology into their workflows. Clients and managers, in turn, need to understand that high-level strategic and creative input is still required, no matter the task at hand. If this is overlooked, they risk overstretching their PR teams (which never gets anyone anywhere).

Are you a PR professional? Implementing the tips below can make your life easier.

1. Let AI handle mundane tasks (within reason)

Get AI to take the tedious, ho-hum work off your plate. 

AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity can, for example, create that first draft of a press release or help you research a new market or topic. You can also use these tools to translate content or brainstorm ideas for social media posts and press release angles. Meanwhile, AI-powered platforms like PR.co can give you instant access to tools like smart media monitoring and AI personalization. 

Bonnie notes, however, that the technology should never become a crutch. “We’re creatives by profession, but that’s a muscle that needs to be worked. By using AI for all your content needs, you run the risk of letting it atrophy. I’d say that the best way to think about AI use is as a personal assistant and research partner, and not a replacement for your own brain.”

Amy adds: “Becoming too dependent on AI will definitely affect the quality of your deliverables.”

Insider tip: Set realistic expectations for how much time AI actually saves, be intentional about where you hand off creative control, and plan your workload to enhance your creativity, not outsource it.

2. Set clear boundaries around your workflows and availability

The age-old advice to “set boundaries” still holds. But in the age of AI, it deserves an upgrade. In an environment where news cycles never sleep and clients expect instant responses, it’s essential to structure your day so you can stay effective and sane.

A few tips: 

• Define what “on” and “off” look like for you and your team. 

• Establish clear hours for proactive pitches, social media posts, media outreach and internal collaboration, and protect them just as you would a client meeting. 

• Time management is key! Block off uninterrupted focus time in your calendar and make it visible to colleagues. 

AI tools can actually help with this, especially when you use a single, dedicated platform to run most of your AI workflows. The best AI-powered software centralizes everything from inbound PR to internal comms and media monitoring. This makes it easier for both your team and external stakeholders to find everything they need in a single place. It also reduces endless back-and-forth messages.

Insider tip: Control the flow of information into your inbox and messaging apps. Set up alerts for things you really need to know in real-time. Anything that can wait, should. These self-care practices will help you focus on what's really important.

3. Focus on the human-centric side of PR

AI, as wonderful as it is, can’t build trust-based relationships with valuable media partners. It also can’t tell stories the way a human would, with heart and emotional impact. And it can’t always pick out the nuance that underlies a sentiment shift (though it can certainly help). 

All of this means the human side of PR is as important as ever. Many top PR pros, who’ve mastered how to use AI effectively, now use the time the technology has freed up to build better relationships with the media, key audiences, management stakeholders and even their own team members.

“We are communicators through and through, so we have to make sure we don’t lose that human-human connection with our team and with the world at large. That is what our business is all about,” Bonnie says.

She notes that over-reliance on AI tools can reduce the “magic” that results from close team collaboration.

Insider tip: Use AI to support work that really builds impact through human connection. For instance, use the technology to summarize media coverage and sentiment so you can use these insights to create thoughtful follow-ups.

4. Choose your AI toolset carefully

The flood of new AI tools can make it feel like you have two jobs: your real one and keeping up with the latest technologies and their applications. The truth is, it’s impossible to keep up with it all.

It makes sense to narrow your AI toolset down to the few options that really add value. Pick tools based on the use cases you most need to automate. For example, if research eats up the majority of your time, a tool like Claude or Perplexity might be the trusty sidekick you’ve always wished you had.

Another good option is to consolidate your AI support through an AI-powered platform with a full suite of features. For example, PR.co can help you manage everything from AI-assisted drafts to analytics and pitching in a single place, which reduces the need to bounce between tools.

Insider tip: Part of what drives AI burnout is the constant feeling that you need to master AI just to stay relevant. In reality, you don’t. Just like you don’t have to keep track of every new PR industry trend, you can’t know everything about every tool. Focus on tools that free you up or support you to deliver real business value. If you need some guidance, we put together a list of the best tools for AI visibility, check it out.

Adapting to the future of PR with PR.co

If there’s one quality that will define success in the AI era, it’s adaptability. If you can learn how to truly use AI to your advantage, it can add hours to your day and help you prevent burnout.

Because we understand the pressure you’re under, we’ve developed a platform that can streamline your work. PR.co is built to help you seamlessly integrate AI into your workflow. The platform handles the automation and organization, so you can focus on the high-level, human-centric work only you can do.

Don't just keep up with the pace of change. Master it. 

Schedule a demo call to learn more.

FAQs

1. Does AI make PR jobs easier or harder?

Both. It depends on how you use it. AI can automate repetitive tasks like media monitoring and press list composition, but it can also create pressure to “do more, faster.” The key is to set realistic expectations, healthy boundaries, and choose the right AI tools to support your workflows.

2. What makes PR.co different from other AI tools?

PR.co consolidates nearly everything you need into a single platform. That includes AI-assisted drafting, media monitoring, analytics, CRM, press lists and more. This means less time spent hopping between tools and more time spent doing valuable work that AI can’t do, like relationship-building.

*The State of Us report is a joint project by the U.K.-based think tank British Future and the Belong Network.