WEALTH August 30, 2026 0 Comments

Why AI’s Rise Doesn’t Kill PR—It Makes Mastering It More Critical Than Ever Before

Ever wonder why the buzzword “communications” feels like it’s been hijacked by shouting matches in the digital town square? Well, Susie Horgan, the sharp mind behind Springboard Communications, flips that tired script on its head. She insists that it’s not just about hammering out messages into the void anymore—it’s about weaving real, connected experiences that build something way more solid: trust. Sure, anyone can blast out a press release or spin a tweet, but the magic lies in crafting strategic conversations that stick, that build reputations brick by brick, and that genuinely move the needle for organizations. Over the past year, Susie’s seen clients crave deeper, smarter counsel—stuff that preps them for crises, sharpens their brand’s glow, and navigates this wild new world where AI—and yes, those shiny ChatGPT and Gemini platforms—are reshaping how people find and believe information. In short, it’s less about the megaphone, more about the handshake. Ready to dive into how communications is being reinvented for the AI age while still holding onto the human touch? LEARN MORE

‘Communications is less about broadcasting messages and more about creating connected experiences’ – Susie Horgan, Founder and Managing Director, Springboard Communications

ACTIVITY

Delivering measurable business outcomes has always been at the heart of what we do. Clients aren’t looking for communications for communications’ sake.

They want strategic advice that helps them build trust, strengthen their reputation and support their wider organisational goals.

Over the past year, we’ve seen growing demand for senior strategic counsel, reputation management, crisis preparedness and stakeholder engagement.

We’ve responded by expanding our strategic advisory offering, including bringing Tom Fitzpatrick, former Irish Examiner editor, into the business.

His experience has strengthened the senior counsel we provide across media engagement, public policy and reputation management.

AI REVOLUTION RESPONSE

AI is changing the way we work, but it isn’t replacing strategic thinking or human judgement.

We’ve embraced it across the agency to support research, insight generation and efficiency, giving our team more time to focus on what clients value most: strategic advice, creativity and building trusted relationships.

At the same time, we’re helping clients to prepare for a fundamental shift in how people find information.

Increasingly, they’re turning to platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for answers, instead of relying solely on traditional search engines. That has significant implications for brand visibility and reputation.

That’s why we’ve developed a dedicated generative engine optimisation offering, helping organisations to understand how AI platforms interpret and describe their brand, what sources influence those responses, and how to strengthen their visibility, authority and credibility in AI-generated search.

As the Irish partner of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, we’re able to bring international insight and best practice to clients as they navigate these changes.

For me, AI isn’t replacing PR; it’s reinforcing the importance of it.

Organisations with strong reputations, credible content and trusted third-party validation are the ones now most likely to be recognised as authoritative.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

The media landscape has become more complex, but that doesn’t mean traditional media has become less valuable.

Editorial coverage still plays a vital role in building credibility. However, it now sits within a much broader communications ecosystem that includes owned channels, creators, podcasts, social platforms and AI-discovery platforms.

The key isn’t chasing every platform; it’s understanding where the relevant audiences seek trusted information and ensuring organisations show up consistently across those touchpoints.

Communications today is less about broadcasting messages and more about creating connected experiences that reinforce reputation wherever people encounter your organisation.

BRAND PERCEPTION

People have more ways than ever now to form an opinion about an organisation. They’re not just reading a news article or visiting a website.

They’re seeing social content, asking AI platforms for information, reading Google reviews and hearing what others say.

Reputation is built across all of those touchpoints.

That’s why PR has become a strategic business function rather than simply a communications discipline.

It’s about helping organisations to earn trust through credible stories, consistent messaging and meaningful engagement with the people who matter most.

A good example of this is our work with a global food and ingredients business. Rather than simply promoting the business, we developed an integrated campaign that celebrated the people, innovation and sustainability behind it.

By combining earned, owned and paid media, the campaign reached almost one million people on social media, generated more than 850,000 TikTok views and strengthened confidence in the sector among key stakeholders.

We didn’t create a new brand story; but brought an existing and authentic one to life in a way that resonated with its audiences.

HUMAN-CENTRED APPROACH

The strongest campaigns begin by understanding people: what they care about and what motivates them to act.

At Springboard, we spend significant time understanding stakeholders before recommending channels or tactics. That human insight allows us to create communications that resonate, build relationships and ultimately inform behaviour.

AI can generate content. It can’t replace empathy, judgement or the ability to navigate complex relationships. Those qualities have become even more valuable.

Susie Horgan, Managing Director of Springboard Communications, with Tom Fitzpatrick, former Irish Examiner Editor, on his appointment as Director following a period of sustained growth at the agency. Picture: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO

KEY TREND

In a world where people are getting information from more sources than ever, credibility has become a real competitive advantage.

People are more discerning about who they believe. They want transparency, consistency and evidence to back up what organisations say. Reputation can’t be built through one campaign or one announcement. It has to be earned over time.

For communications professionals, that means spending less time chasing headlines and more time helping organisations to build genuine relationships with their stakeholders.

The organisations that do that consistently will be better placed to attract talent, retain customers, navigate challenges and seize new opportunities.