From the very beginning, public relations (PR) has always been about helping brands stand out, build trust, and drive visibility. But as AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini increasingly shape how people find information, PR has taken on a whole new level of importance. Unlike paid advertising, media relations, which delivers earned media coverage and organic brand mentions, directly influence what AI models learn, cite, and surface in responses. For brands, this means PR is now one of the most powerful tools for ensuring they can be discovered in AI-driven search results.

A strong PR strategy creates the type of content AI systems prioritize: authoritative, credible, and widely published. When a brand is quoted in a respected publication or highlighted in a major news story, that coverage gets indexed across the web. AI doesn’t just pull from websites you control; it leans heavily on independent, third-party sources. This is why earned media is more valuable than ever—it builds a digital footprint that AI recognizes as trustworthy and relevant.

One of the biggest benefits of public relations in the AI era is brand awareness. PR campaigns make sure a company is seen in places people—and machines—are looking. Whether it’s a press release announcing an innovation, a CEO interview on a podcast, or a thought leadership article in a trade publication, PR creates multiple touchpoints that both humans and AI reference. The more visible and consistent a brand becomes through media coverage, the more likely it is to appear in AI search answers.

PR also strengthens thought leadership, a key driver of AI visibility. When executives or brands are positioned as experts through guest articles, op-eds, or industry commentary, AI systems take note. These authoritative mentions help position a company as a go-to source for answers in its niche. In the same way that journalists cite experts to validate a story, AI references authoritative sources when responding to user queries—making thought leadership a cornerstone of modern PR strategy.

Another critical connection between PR and AI discovery is the role of SEO. Traditional search engine optimization has long depended on backlinks, keywords, and domain authority, and PR naturally fuels these elements. High-quality media coverage drives backlinks from trusted outlets, which boosts search rankings. But now, those same signals also shape how AI tools determine which sources to trust. That means digital PR is no longer just about ranking higher on Google—it’s about feeding the AI models that power the future of search.

Public relations also drives credibility and trust, which AI models weigh heavily. Paid ads and branded content often carry less weight in AI search results because they are clearly promotional. In contrast, independent third-party validation from journalists, analysts, or influencers signals credibility. This form of reputation management not only reassures potential customers but also ensures AI systems classify a brand as authoritative, reliable, and worth recommending.

Brands that invest in PR gain a lasting competitive advantage in AI search visibility. While competitors may focus solely on paid campaigns, PR builds long-term visibility through articles, interviews, and reviews that live online indefinitely. This evergreen media coverage becomes part of the data pool that AI continuously references, ensuring a brand is not just visible today but remains discoverable tomorrow. In a world where algorithms are constantly learning, PR future-proofs brand visibility.

Here’s the key take away: public relations (PR) is no longer optional for brands that want to win in the age of AI search. By driving brand awareness, fueling thought leadership, supporting SEO, and strengthening credibility, teh work that PR agencies like BIG FISH PR deliver, ensure brands are not just found by human audiences but also indexed and recommended by intelligent systems. The future of discovery belongs to the brands that understand this shift. And the smartest ones are doubling down on PR to secure their place in the AI-powered search landscape.