The future of PR belongs to storytellers, not software
As newsrooms shrink and algorithms take over, the ability to tell authentic, brand-defining stories has become more valuable than ever, says Venture PR’s Michael McKay.
Even as OpenAI was training ChatGPT to generate a perfect press release in seconds, behind the scenes, the company was working to hire a human storyteller.
In an AI-driven world, telling authentic stories that resonate remains an exclusively human trait.
On May 1, CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman took to X to share his latest take on AI’s job market impact. “We want to build tools to augment and elevate people, not entities to replace them,” Altman said in the post.
Although a nice sentiment, the post marked a notable shift from his comments in February, in which Altman claimed the technology would soon perform every job, including the role of CEO, “better than me.”
Altman is not the first big-tech CEO to attempt to backpedal on AI’s seismic job market disruption — and likely won’t be the last. A recent NBC News survey concluded that only 26% of Americans have a positive view of AI, compared with 46% who hold negative views of the technology.
But for Gen Z PR pros, Altman’s post isn’t just a strategic messaging move; it’s an admission that AI’s abilities may be more limited than expected.
Could there be more to PR’s future than total automation? Job openings worth upwards of $775,000 at America’s foremost tech companies — including OpenAI — seem to indicate that the answer is yes.
The in-demand skill for these positions isn’t high-level coding or a chatbot-whispering sixth sense — its storytelling. More specifically: the ability to tell stories that are authentic, on-brand and 100% human-generated.
These are the stories that give brands the momentum they need to break through in a crowded media landscape, and PR pros hold the key to crafting that narrative.
Even so, it’s undeniable that the broader communications sector is going through it — impacting rising professionals in the storytelling field as a result.
Salaries are trending downward and the timing couldn’t be worse for new graduates aspiring to communications careers. Gen Z’s peak college graduation years have coincided with a job market uniquely bleak for entry-level professionals.
For the lucky few early-career professionals who do land roles, they’re navigating a changing media landscape from day one. Almost 40% of local U.S. newspapers have disappeared, meaning fewer reporters to pitch. Those who are left are likely using AI to help sort through the highest-quality angles of the bunch.
So, where does this leave Gen Z communicators? Surprisingly enough, in a position to help.
As the first digitally-native generation, Gen Zers came of age powering story-driven content on Vine (RIP), Instagram and TikTok. When connection moved completely online during the pandemic, Gen Z’s knack for digital storytelling turned into a survival strategy.
Six years later, another digital disruption is threatening to turn authentic stories and human connection into a rarity once again. And Gen Z is uniquely qualified to ensure that won’t happen.
With 89% of training data for LLMs coming straight from earned media, the ability to craft compelling, relevant narratives that consistently land brands in the press has never been more critical.
Crucially for Gen Z, it’s this ability that will define the best PR pros of tomorrow.
Michael McKay is a senior account executive at Venture PR.