Why PR budgets will double by 2027 (and what AI has to do with it)
Research firm Gartner recently predicted that the rise of AI search engines will drastically change traditional search traffic. As a result, brands are shifting their budgets en masse towards PR and earned media.
Earned media is the visibility you earn thanks to the newsworthiness or substantive quality of your story. Think of interviews, quotes in the press, or strong opinion pieces in trade journals. It is media attention you receive on the basis of expertise, not because you have bought advertising space.
This shift makes sense and is a direct consequence of how Large Language Models (LLMs) process information and formulate responses.
AI models do not base their conclusions on your advertising copy. They base them on earned media.
How AI weighs up decisions
The way we search for information is changing fundamentally. Consumers and B2B buyers are increasingly asking AI assistants to analyse the market.
- “Who is the most reliable logistics partner in the region?”
- “Which software best solves this specific HR problem?”
Of course, AI platforms are experimenting extensively with adverts and sponsored links. But when an AI formulates a substantive summary or recommendation, the algorithm looks at something else: online authority and cross-referencing.
The AI scans the web in search of independent validation. The algorithm looks for evidence that your brand is genuinely an expert.
Mentions in the press, in-depth analyses in trade journals and quotes on respected platforms are decisive factors here. Because these sources themselves have high digital authority, the AI uses them as the foundation for its answers. Editorial evidence is the fuel for AI reputation.
A fairer playing field for the ‘challenger’
This evolution is changing the dynamics of the market. In the past, massive budgets could completely dominate visibility through large-scale advertising campaigns. AI is levelling the playing field to some extent, as it seeks out the most relevant and valid content.
An ambitious challenger with a strong, well-documented presence in the (trade) press can therefore claim just as much digital authority as an established market leader. Provided, that is, that there is sufficient independent, high-quality content about the brand available online.
As a result, PR is shifting from a discipline focused on reputation and visibility to an indispensable foundation for your digital discoverability.
Investing in newsworthy stories and thought leadership is the smartest way today to remain relevant tomorrow.
The transition to AI-driven search is in full swing, but many companies are still sitting on the fence. This presents an opportunity to gain a head start.
Those who consistently build authority through high-quality PR now ensure that their expertise is embedded in the data that AI models draw on today and tomorrow. Waiting until this way of searching becomes the absolute norm means you’ll be playing catch-up.
Investing in newsworthy stories and thought leadership is the smartest way today to remain relevant tomorrow.
Fancy discussing your brand’s PR strategy in the AI era?
Saartje Dietvorst
manley is a strategic PR and storytelling agency, founded by Saartje Dietvorst. We help organisations gain the recognition they deserve through the media, so that their impact is maximised amongst the public and government bodies. Since 2014, we’ve been identifying the most compelling stories within companies and presenting them with razor-sharp precision. Based in Antwerp, we work across Europe. Because in a world full of AI-generated content, it’s the authentic stories that matter.
Find out more at www.manley.eu
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