Artificial intelligence seems to be the hot topic around the table. At work and at home, many of my conversations lately have turned to what it can do, how quickly it is changing and what comes next.
Recently, I told my husband that The Jetsons doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore. He chuckled and reluctantly agreed. Personally, I’d welcome Rosie’s help with cooking, cleaning and laundry. Discerning how robots fit into my professional life is decidedly more complex.
In the public relations world, AI raises questions about how we communicate and connect with our audiences. How do we remain visible as AI changes the way people find information? Do people still value human-created stories amid AI-generated slop? Can we counter misinformation and preserve trust while keeping pace?
Those concerns show up in recent research, too. Adapting to changing consumer behavior, including AI-driven search, ranked as a top challenge among marketers. Concern about low-quality AI-generated content followed.
The truth is I’m learning right alongside you, with one guiding principle: AI is a tool for productivity, not a replacement for creativity and critical thinking. The Public Relations Society of America puts it plainly: “PR professionals bring the curiosity and judgment AI lacks.”
We don’t have to embrace every advancement to understand how technology affects our organizations. Paying attention to how people use AI to find us and form opinions about us belongs within a broader communications strategy.
A diverse media mix, connected by a clear message and creative ideas, remains essential to visibility and trust as individual channels evolve. Here in central Minnesota, local partnerships, community involvement and face-to-face conversations deepen those connections.
For search, Google’s guidance offers some reassurance. Established search engine optimization practices still apply to its AI search features. Helpful, insightful and reliable website content supports visibility in both its traditional and generative search results.
Consider a family with grandparents and young children asking where to spend a long weekend in central Minnesota. A resort in Alexandria may suit them perfectly. Its website needs to explain the accommodations and activities so prospective guests can decide whether it fits their needs.
But people trust people, and a human connection goes a long way. An owner writing about why they started the resort, an employee explaining how they solved a guest’s problem or a fishing guide offering local advice gives families a sense of the people who will welcome them.
This is why I believe human-created work will continue to matter. Your people have experiences, expertise and ideas worth sharing. Bringing those stories forward gives potential customers, employees and partners reasons to take an interest. It builds trust before there’s even a conversation.
Protecting that trust takes care. That means verifying facts and sources, disclosing when AI meaningfully shapes what we share and correcting false or misleading information.
AI has given us new tools, but our people, knowledge and experiences remain the reason we’re worth discovering. Sharing them thoughtfully is an investment in visibility and trust.
