There is no single AI tool that works for every public relations task. Lorra Brown, assistant professor of advertising and public relations at the University of North Carolina, has been testing AI tools in her writing classes while researching AI reputation governance and career readiness across the communications industry. Her conclusion: the right tool depends entirely on the task - and the professional using it. "AI will only make bad communicators faster," Brown said. "It doesn't make them better."
Claude: Long-form writing and thought leadership
Brown prefers Claude for longer writing projects, particularly when she can upload her own work, research or reports. She uses it to structure white papers, outline arguments and repurpose her ideas across different formats. A communicator could, for example, turn an executive's research-backed point of view into a byline, LinkedIn post, speech outline or internal memo. "It helps you sort of repurpose them without changing your tone or language," Brown said.
Perplexity: Research with current sources
When the job requires statistics, trends or verifiable citations, Perplexity is the stronger option. Brown said ChatGPT and Gemini can help with general research, but Perplexity is better when the deliverable needs linked sources. A PR professional working on a client memo could ask for the latest figures on AI writing adoption and receive recent statistics alongside source material. All sources still need checking. AI surfaces information, but the communicator must confirm relevance and accuracy.
ChatGPT: Crisis response and speed
For work that must be done quickly, Brown still recommends ChatGPT. "If you're looking at crisis, for example, or media monitoring and pulling reports and trying to do reports from that, ChatGPT seems to be still the strongest," she said. That includes drafting a holding statement, summarizing public reaction, organizing coverage or turning scattered updates into a clear internal brief. The communicator still needs to supply the strategy, audience, facts and editorial guardrails.
The infrastructure advantage: Copilot and advanced platforms
Microsoft Copilot's value leans heavily on an organization's existing setup, Brown said. If a company's system already holds approved language, plans, reports and internal documents, Copilot can draw on that material to produce more useful outputs. "It's only as good as the infrastructure that you're building with your own enterprise system," Brown said. Beyond Copilot, some organizations use more specialized platforms for audience analysis and message testing. Blackbird.AI, for instance, helps communicators see how different audiences might respond to messages in real time - critical in public affairs, public health and other high-stakes environments. A public health team could test vaccine messaging before launch, or a public affairs team could gauge how a message lands with specific political segments. "You can really be more specific to what that looks like and customize your writing accordingly," Brown said.
Why this matters for PR and Communications
Brown's framework puts the burden of choice on the communicator, not the tool. No single AI can cover every scenario, and the difference between a useful output and a damaging one comes down to human judgment. For professionals who want to build that skill set, following developments in AI for PR & Communications and exploring structured resources such as the AI Learning Path for Public Relations Specialists can accelerate the learning curve. "We as communicators, whatever form of writing or communication we use, should be the thought leaders and the first ones to try all of these different tools," Brown said. "If you aren't considering AI in some way for your work, then you will be left behind because it's here. We just need to do it more effectively, more thoughtfully, understand the constraints and continue to train and learn as professional writers."
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