Ruder Finn began building AI infrastructure in 2020, well before the current wave of generative AI, and is now structuring itself as an AI-first communications agency. Client RFPs in 2025 routinely ask for demonstrable AI capability, not a future roadmap, according to Shivaram Lakshminarayan, Managing Director of Ruder Finn India.
AI as infrastructure, not an add-on
The agency treats AI as part of its operating environment rather than a standalone feature. rf.TechLab, Ruder Finn's global AI incubator, was among the first of its kind inside a communications firm. For the India team, Lakshminarayan said, that means deploying infrastructure that has been tested and refined globally, then applied to a market with scale, digital adoption, and fast-moving audiences.
Two proprietary platforms illustrate the shift. rf.StoryLab merges generative AI with human creative instinct to produce richer, more personal content. rf.Risk reads early signals on sentiment and narrative before issues surface, changing how crisis preparedness is approached. Rather than offering AI as an optional upgrade, Ruder Finn makes it a standard toolset. In India, "RF Edit Room" sessions and an "AI Month" upskilling initiative aim to close the gap between knowing AI exists and knowing how to use it on real work.
Where human judgment becomes more valuable
"The honest answer is that relevance in this environment comes down to judgment and judgment is something AI cannot replace," Lakshminarayan said. AI handles research, drafting, and synthesis, but deciding whether a message is right, whether the timing works, and how an audience will interpret it remains a human call. That call becomes more valuable as AI takes on more surrounding tasks.
Professionals need fluency with the tools, not just awareness. Giving AI precise instructions, challenging its output, and understanding how brand visibility works in AI-mediated environments are now core skills. For those looking to move from awareness to capability, an AI Learning Path for Public Relations Specialists can provide structured, role-based training. Lakshminarayan stressed that the effort is intentional: "We are trying to close this gap intentionally, with structure, rather than leaving it to chance."
Generative Engine Optimization and the new search reality
Ruder Finn built the first agency Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) platform after recognizing that users increasingly get answers directly inside AI interfaces, bypassing traditional search results. Referral traffic is declining. "The first page of Google has effectively become the first response in ChatGPT, and if your brand doesn't appear there, or appears incorrectly, you are invisible at the very moment a decision is being made," Lakshminarayan said.
He described GEO as a brand visibility and reputation challenge, not a technical detail for an IT team. Communications functions need to own it. For Indian brands, the conversation is becoming urgent as audiences fragment across platforms and AI-generated answers shape purchase and reputational decisions. The AI for PR & Communications topic page curates resources on AI-driven search strategy, media analysis, and campaign planning for professionals navigating this shift.
Why this matters for PR and communications
The question of whether to use AI has been settled. The differentiator for agencies and in-house teams over the next five years is not access to tools but whether AI is embedded in how work is conceived and delivered. Lakshminarayan pointed out that clients now ask at the pitch stage how AI will be integrated across deliverables and workflows-a conversation that did not exist two years ago. Agencies that have invested in building fluency across every level, not just a dedicated AI team, will be the ones that lead. For PR professionals, that means developing judgment, mastering AI workflows, and treating GEO as a core communications competency rather than an afterthought.
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