AI Is Rewriting the PR Playbook Across Asia
PR teams across Asia are entering a new phase. Artificial intelligence is moving from novelty to everyday toolkit, pushing communicators to act as strategic architects of trust, insight, and human connection.
A new white paper - AI Adoption Among PR Professionals in Asia 2025 by One Asia Communications (OAC) with RB Consulting - offers the first region-wide view from an independent agency network. The signal is clear: teams are adopting AI with intent, optimism, and a growing focus on responsibility.
What the Study Covered
The research surveyed nearly 300 in-house communications professionals across 12 markets: Cambodia, China/Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. It examines how AI is already boosting efficiency, insight generation, and human-led strategy - and where leaders plan to go next.
From Execution to Strategy
AI is taking on monitoring, drafting, and data analysis. That frees communicators to focus on judgment, insight, ethics, and counsel at the leadership table.
"AI is transforming communicators into better insight generators and trust builders," said Siwon Hahm, Chairperson of One Asia Communications and CEO of Hahm Partners. "We are moving from doing the work to directing how technology supports human understanding and truth."
- Marketing teams are using AI for audience insights and creative optimization.
- Corporate communications teams are integrating AI into stakeholder mapping, reputation tracking, and predictive issues management.
- PR leaders are guiding organizations on the ethical, reputational, and societal implications of AI use.
GEO, Part 1: Generative Engine Optimization
The report flags Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as the next frontier. In an AI-indexed internet, visibility isn't about coverage or impressions - it's about how intelligent systems interpret and trust your brand.
- Create transparent, attributable content that algorithms can parse and surface.
- Design dynamic experiences that adapt based on engagement and relevance.
- Build emotional intelligence into digital storytelling to keep authenticity as automation scales.
GEO, Part 2: Governance, Ethics, Oversight
GEO also stands for Governance, Ethics, and Oversight - the base layer for responsible AI in communications. Teams across all 12 markets agree: this is essential for building and protecting trust.
- Governance: Clear policies, roles, and accountability for AI use.
- Ethics: Fairness, transparency, and respect for truth in every output.
- Oversight: Human supervision so technology informs - not replaces - judgment.
For reference frameworks on trustworthy AI, see the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
What the Next Five Years Look Like
- Hyper-personalized storytelling driven by predictive analytics and generative tools.
- Experience-based measurement that prioritizes trust and relevance over raw exposure.
- Ethical leadership, with communicators guiding organizations through AI-first reputational risk.
"The future of AI in communications isn't about faster outputs, it's about deeper outcomes," said Hahm. "Asia's communicators are ready to lead this evolution."
Regional Signals
- Indonesia, Vietnam: High optimism; AI seen as a spark for creativity and innovation.
- Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines: Strong adoption in analytics and engagement; growing focus on measurement and ethics.
- Singapore, Japan, South Korea: Balanced, governance-led approach.
- India, Taiwan: Advanced analytics and stakeholder mapping in focus.
- Chinese Mainland & Hong Kong, Cambodia: Pragmatic, early-stage adoption shaped by compliance and foundational literacy.
Key Numbers at a Glance
- 58% view AI as a positive force in communications.
- 80% want formal AI training.
- Top uses today: content development, trend analysis, and performance measurement - with rising emphasis on ethics, transparency, and data protection.
What PR Leaders Should Do Now
- Create an AI policy that clarifies approved tools, use cases, data sources, and audit trails.
- Set human-in-the-loop checkpoints for research, content, and analytics - especially on sensitive topics.
- Upgrade measurement to include trust, relevance, and experience quality, not just clicks and reach.
- Run GEO experiments: structured content, clear citations, and feedback loops that feed model-friendly summaries.
- Launch team upskilling: prompt techniques for insight, QA for bias/factual integrity, and risk-based workflows. If you need a fast start, see AI courses by job role.
- Stand up an ethics review board with escalation paths for reputational and legal risks.
Skills to Prioritize
- Prompt techniques for research, synthesis, and message testing.
- Model selection and evaluation: accuracy, bias, explainability, and data handling.
- Data hygiene: consent, provenance, and redaction of sensitive information.
- Issues scanning and scenario planning with AI-assisted foresight.
- Content QA: fact-checking, tone checks, and cultural sensitivity at scale.
A Human Core, Augmented by AI
"AI is becoming an indispensable partner in our work as communicators, but its true value comes when it enhances, not replaces, human judgment and creativity. Our role now is to ensure AI is used responsibly to drive clearer insights, greater efficiency, and communications that remain deeply human at their core."
The momentum is here. With clear GEO principles, disciplined execution, and continuous learning, PR teams can turn AI into a durable advantage - one grounded in trust.
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