PR leaders should manage AI as a business stakeholder, not just a tool
Stuart Bruce, co-CEO of Leeds-based consultancy Purposeful Relations, will tell communications professionals at the World Economic Forum's Davos Communications Summit this month that companies need to rethink how they approach AI.
Rather than treating AI as software to deploy, Bruce will argue that organisations should manage it as they would any other stakeholder - with clear accountability, defined relationships, and measurable impact on business outcomes.
Bruce will speak on an international panel focused on measuring trust in an AI world. The session reflects growing concern among communications leaders about how AI affects organisational credibility and public perception.
Why this matters for PR teams
Communications professionals increasingly find themselves responsible for explaining AI decisions to employees, customers, and the public. That responsibility demands a seat at the table when organisations plan AI implementation.
Treating AI as a stakeholder means defining what it should do, monitoring how it performs, and ensuring its outputs align with brand values and regulatory requirements. It also means having someone accountable when things go wrong.
For PR teams, this shift requires new skills. Understanding how AI systems work, what they can and cannot do reliably, and how to communicate about them becomes essential to the role.
Learn more about AI for PR & Communications, or explore the AI Learning Path for Public Relations Specialists to develop practical knowledge for your team.
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