Will AI replace PR and communications specialists?

Part of the work, not the whole job. AI could take on about 53% of the working time in a typical PR and communications specialist job today. The other 47% still needs a person.

PR and communications specialist at work

47% of the work still needs a person.

Needs a person: 47%A person checking AI: 20%AI alone: 33%

The bracket under the bar is the evidence range for the share AI could take on: 32 to 53%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry.

18 responsibilities in a typical PR and communications specialist job. Median pay $74,750 a year in the U.S. (BLS, May 2025).

Still needs a person

  • Advise managers on trends and public concerns AI helps
  • Build ties with community and advocacy groups
  • Build and protect the organization's reputation AI helps
  • Handle media questions or find the right expert AI helps
  • Plan campaigns with ad agencies AI helps
  • Work with production teams on ads and promotions AI helps

AI can do or help with

  • Post and update website and social content AI can do it
  • Advise managers on trends and public concerns AI helps
  • Plan PR strategy from the organization's goals AI helps
  • Work with production teams on ads and promotions AI helps
  • Build and protect the organization's reputation AI helps
  • Plan campaigns with ad agencies AI helps

The biggest responsibilities on each side, ranked by a person's time on the left. "AI helps" means AI takes on part of the work, or most of it with a person checking what it produces, so one can show on both sides. See all 18, with the reason for each and the cost of handing them to AI.

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Questions people ask

Will AI replace PR and communications specialists?

Part of the work, not the whole job. AI could take on about 53% of the working time in a typical PR and communications specialist job today. The other 47% still needs a person. That is a split of the work, not a forecast of jobs lost.

Which parts of the job can AI do?

The biggest ones AI can do or help with: post and update website and social content, advise managers on trends and public concerns, plan PR strategy from the organization's goals, work with production teams on ads and promotions, build and protect the organization's reputation, plan campaigns with ad agencies.

Which parts still need a person?

The biggest ones: advise managers on trends and public concerns, build ties with community and advocacy groups, build and protect the organization's reputation, handle media questions or find the right expert, plan campaigns with ad agencies, work with production teams on ads and promotions.

How is this measured?

The U.S. Department of Labor lists 18 responsibilities for this job (O*NET 31.0). Each is scored on 4 questions: can AI do it, does it get it right, must a person sign for it, and do people need to deal with a real person. The split is weighted by how much of the job each responsibility takes up. The evidence range for the share AI could take on is 32 to 53%. One end comes from how well AI did each responsibility in real use, or a second rating where that isn't measured. The other is our figure, which also follows research across the industry. Scores version 0.8.5, updated November 10, 2026.

Responsibilities from O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor). Pay from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025. Scores are calibrated to published research and updated every month. How it works.

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