Artificial intelligence (AI) has not only transformed how content is created but also fundamentally altered how information itself is discovered and trusted. The media ecosystem has been forced to shift at its very foundations. Newsrooms now face the loss of traditional news platforms in favor of AI chatbots and tools, and algorithms now play a larger role than editors in determining which stories surface and endure. As the human mediators within journalism are retired in favor of AI newsagents, AI is taking over global news from creation all the way to distribution.
Traditional PR models are not enough in the new news environment. Companies that wish to thrive in the new AI-driven world need PR teams built for the new internet who can spot the narrative before it hardens, reacting with speedy and optimized content and relearning what “earned media” really means. Even more importantly, the best PR teams understand not only how to protect and grow a company’s reputation but also how to push companies and their executives forward as trustworthy and reliable sources in a sea of AI slop.
The PR model of the past operated with a fast moving but relatively straightforward process. Brands crafted messages or expressed hopes for a certain type of coverage, and then PR teams would pitch reporters, secure coverage, and measure their success in mentions and impressions. While the previous model still has its place in AI-adapted public relations, the model’s core depended on a semi-predictable news cycle, stable media institutions and human gatekeepers who decided what stories got pushed in front of the public’s eyes. That news cycle no longer exists.
A recent article by the Reuters Institute highlighted how the news and newsroom that the previous PR model relied on are changing. Experts from BBC, WSJ, Scroll, NPO, SZ, Semafor and The New York Times told Reuters that the way audiences get their news will be completely different in 2026 and beyond. Rather than relying on the traditional news sources of the past century, audiences will likely now use AI-informed tools and AI chatbots when searching for information. Nicole Leech, head of audience engagement at the UAE’s international news outlet The National, told the Reuters Institute that news consumers who continue to use traditional news sites and large language model (LLM) apps will likely be using them less for actual consumption of news and more for finding out what to consume and why. Journalists, according to Tanzanian reporter Mweha Msemo, have lost control over how their work is presented to the global audience. There are no more “front pages” in the AI world, only how AI decides to present information based on what it perceives to be the most important.
In the new AI world where many people no longer read news articles but instead directly ask AI assistants questions, successful PR teams like Bospar are adapting their strategies along with journalists. Across the board, news outlets have shown with recent actions that they are tracking and adapting to the big changes in how news is received and perceived. The Washington Post, for example, hired Phoebe Connelly in 2024 as its senior editor of AI Strategy and Innovation to help introduce AI to all levels of the newsroom. Similarly, The New York Times introduced its A.I. Initiatives Team.
So, what are journalists seeing exactly? CNN Turk contributor Cigdem Oztabak described the new news world as a glorified “Answer Economy” where news consumers operate in one of two distinct modes. The first, “comfort mode,” is a more casual news consumption by readers who are happy with a general news summary from AI and a few suggested articles. The second is “trust mode,” where AI users demand evidence, sources and quotations, often leading to more direct news site traffic. Both new audience modes, though, accelerate the use of chatbots and continue the steady decline of news site traffic. As newspapers move to leverage trust mode to position themselves as a source of credible news in the face of continued AI errors and hallucinations, PR teams must similarly ensure that their companies gain earned media coverage that places them at the forefront of the “trustworthy” side of the AI news cycle. When news readers ask themselves who to turn to, PR teams must ensure that the answer is their clients.
What are winning PR teams from agencies like Bospar doing differently? In a single word: adapting. To adapt to an AI-driven news cycle, PR teams and their clients must act with unprecedented speed and react to early signals rather than established story trends. Shaping the narrative before it hardens will become the new norm when AI is at the helm.
Now, newsjacking must include a steady finger on the pulse of journalist prompts and questions and eyes ready to catch the earliest hints at the repeat framing patterns AI chatbots and journalists are using across media outlets. Pre-approved POVs on predictable topics are also a must, as well as quick and informative client communication when the early signs of a newsjacking opportunity begin to show. Additionally, earned media opportunities will now need to include precision quotes to outlets that AI systems pay attention to such as top trades, wires and reputable newsletters. The name of the AI game is optimizing content for both machines and humans with consistent terminology, verifiable data and clear language so that messages survive AI summarization without distortion. On the back end, PR teams must now monitor AI misinformation and hallucinations regarding their clients just as much as they have previously monitored earned articles for clarity, typos and correct client representation.
