The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) across various sectors is reshaping how industries function, particularly within the realms of public relations and news media. A recent report titled the 2025 Relevance Report by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism reveals how AI is increasingly being adopted by the public relations industry to strengthen communication strategies.
A collaborative effort between USC Annenberg and Microsoft, this year’s report includes insights from over 40 leaders across the communications sector, outlining the myriad ways AI can benefit their industries. Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft’s chief communications officer, emphasizes the role of AI: "AI sharpens PR workers’ storytelling and enables them to stay relevant." The insights provided within this report reflect the industry's optimism and readiness to embrace technological changes, with industry experts seeing significant opportunities for growth.
One of the standout points brought forth by Melissa Waggener Zorkin, CEO of WE Communications, is the cultural shift needed to accept AI: "Strong organizational cultures will support experimentation and learning," she asserts, indicating the importance of innovation-driven work environments. This cultural transformation allows employees to focus on more strategic and creative endeavors, rather than monotonous tasks, marrying technology with human intuition.
But it’s not just concern about innovation; questions surrounding job displacement due to AI also loom large. Venture capitalist Mark Stevens suggests AI could lead to humans focusing on higher-value tasks, providing some comfort amid such anxieties. Meanwhile, communications leaders from various companies, including Merck and IBM, stress the importance of AI-powered insights to drive engagement and relevancy.
Turning our focus to news consumption, Indian news apps must also adapt to the changes ushered by AI. Sudhir Jha from Dailyhunt argues for the necessity of situational content strategies to meet the growing demands of modern-day users. With the digital media space rapidly transforming, Jha highlights the current user trends, stating, "Indian users seek real-time updates and personalized information." Such insights underline the need for news platforms to deliver content relevant to the user’s immediate situation.
This situational content strategy calls for mobile news apps to create and curate content specific to current events, local interests, and cultural happenings. The hyperlocal approach to news consumption is on the rise, prompting news outlets to focus on regional stories over generalized content. With over 75% of internet users likely to prefer content in their regional languages by 2025, platforms must adapt or risk losing relevance.
With the rapid rise of competition among news platforms such as Dailyhunt and others, delivering timely, contextual content becomes imperative; these apps need to outpace their competitors by providing enhanced user experiences. Incorporation of real-time updates and alerts during events, such as major sporting matches or local festivities, is one strategic approach. Contextual storytelling, focused on current events' "why" and "how," increases user engagement, making platforms more attractive to readers.
AI and automation play pivotal roles here as well. Applying AI to analyze user behavior and preferences allows news organizations to tailor content dynamically, creating personalized experiences for users, which leads to higher engagement. Leveraging such technology to push notifications aligned with user interests—such as local flooding warnings during monsoons—will not only keep users more informed but also increase the app's value.
By linking content strategies to real-world events and cultural moments, like national holidays or election periods, news apps can build stronger emotional connections with their audiences. Jha emphasizes, "During state and national elections, hyper-localized content strategies—including constituency-specific updates—boosted app downloads and daily active users (DAUs)." This example showcases how situational strategies not only attract users but can also significantly drive app engagement.
To remain successful, the key for both public relations firms and news apps lies in their adoption of AI technologies and strategies informed by audience inputs. The insights contained within the 2025 Relevance Report serve as both guide and encouragement for companies ready to navigate the impact of AI on communication. By delivering engaging, timely, and relevant content across all platforms, these sectors will not only keep pace with the digital age but also thrive within it.