The power of authenticity in an ever-artificial media landscape 

Isn’t it brilliant how AI can generate a press release in less than 30 seconds? How it can master a brand’s tone of voice, pre-empt the piece of work a journalist is working on, and weave in your style and individuality in a fraction of the time?

Apologies for the bold hook, I’m obviously joking. Yes, an AI model can generate a standard press release in 30 seconds, somewhat understanding what needs to be communicated, but finessing it with all the extra details, that relies on understanding, relationships, and what the writer brings to the table.

Increasingly, we’re seeing AI fanatics and sceptics clash over how involved AI should be with our work. With this constant noise, how can we best advise our clients? And what can good marketeers learn from the current media landscape?

Let’s take a deeper dive into what we can control, and what we shouldn’t use AI for.

Human connection is key 

In 2025, Reach plc, the largest commercial news and digital publisher in the UK, introduced an in-house AI tool, Gutenbot. This tool rewrites articles that have appeared elsewhere in the Reach network, enabling the company to get more traffic without duplicating content.

If a press release is written solely using AI, and rewritten with AI across various platforms, at what point does human involvement become obsolete?

I'd argue that in PR, relationships are key. Something we consistently find is that a good press release can only get you so far, building trust with journalists is the way to make sure your story lands.

The impact of media relations done well can be huge for your brand. Read how we used media relations to drive footfall for Twycross Zoo, and delivered over 5,000 pieces of coverage for Mitchells and Butlers.

There’s clearly still an appetite for human connection and people still want to hear from real people. My first piece of advice, research your media list thoroughly, reaching out to key media targets before you sell-in to let them know something is coming their way. A quick coffee is a great way to open doors!

Lead with what you know 

At Leopard Co, we operate as an extension of a client’s marketing team. Meaning that during onboarding, we invest time into getting under the skin of the business, understanding its key goals, mission and most importantly for PR, its tone of voice. This level of understanding sets us apart from AI, which can only access external information to scrape together a press release.

We also like to draw from a client’s expertise, building a thought leadership framework that empowers colleagues from across the business to share their knowledge with the world.

You have probably seen examples of hoax experts being caught out, my favourite is Dr. Jeff Hancock, a Stanford University professor and noted expert on misinformation and social media, who used Chat GPT fabricated citations during expert testimony in a significant case. Ironic, right?

The reaction to this was understandably negative, causing a big splash across national titles.

In an age of increasing AI-scepticism, with hoax expert commentary being exposed, your experiences, knowledge and interests are needed to devise great stories that cut through the noise.

My second piece of advice for you is, if you’re pitching a thought leadership piece on behalf of a client, make sure to hyperlink their LinkedIn profile as proof that they exist. We need to show journalists that we have the expertise to back up a good story.

AI is here to stay 

The UK’s party conference season has just drawn to a close, and it’s clear that AI is going nowhere. The topic dominated discussions around economic growth, national security, education, and so forth. But equally, ministers and members warned of the dangers of AI.

As marketeers, we’re stuck between wanting the best for our clients, but also wanting to uphold the sanctity of our industry. So, what can we do?