Editor’s predictions: What 2025 will hold for the public relations industry

For the last several weeks, I’ve been running roundups of what PR professionals think will happen next year in social media, media relations and AI. Their predictions are a cross-section of humanity, ranging from doom and gloom about the future of misinformation to hope for responsible use of AI and the new growth of independent media.

As I’ve read through the hundreds of glimpses into the multiverse of potential futures, I’ve also been working on my own prognostications about the field – its practice, its agencies and its impact.

Here’s what could be ahead for 2025.

1. Media relations shifts forever.

The slow, inexorable drift away from TV, newspapers and radio has now been occurring for nearly three decades. Ever since the internet went from a Department of Defense novelty to a staple in every pocket in the world, legacy media has been losing ground. But until recently, there wasn’t a true, robust successor where mainstream businesses could turn to in order to get the same outside validation of their messaging. But in 2024, podcasts, independent newsletters and social media influencers truly came into their own. The U.S. presidential election only sealed what many savvy PR professionals already knew: no matter how much your CEO wants that Wall Street Journal headline, it doesn’t matter if the audience you need to reach isn’t there.

Media has encased many of us in cozy, ideologically pure bubbles where we’re never faced with an uncomfortable idea. The days where neutrality was an expectation are long gone: now people watching a podcast on YouTube, reading a Substack, or spending time on Bluesky or Rumble can have their own beliefs reinforced over and over again from a familiar friend.

That means a more personal connection between audience and messenger –- which can also mean the messages delivered can resonate more strongly. It also means that the apparent raw, unedited nature of many video and podcast series will put spokespeople in the spotlight more, whether that’s the CEO who must learn to let her hair down in a longform interview or the subject matter expert who can captivate an audience.

These forms of media bring true risks: editorial safeguards usually ensure a certain set of ground rules are followed when engaging with the legacy media. Those are not guarantees with these new influencer-journalist hybrids. But ignoring them is no longer an option.

2. AI becomes just another tool in the toolkit.

Both the promise and panic of AI are beginning to die down. More organizations and people are realizing that AI isn’t a savior nor a job killer. It has vast utility and can improve productivity in any number of areas, but it isn’t a replacement for even a single creative, thoughtful, innovative person. But it can make that person better.

There will continue to be all manner of battles over AI, including in the courts and in the government. Expect more regulation in the E.U. and less in the U.S. Companies selling AI will become savvier as audiences become unimpressed by the inclusion of “AI” in everything from your media pitching tool to your toothbrush. Rather, AI will be seen as a constant in daily life, as commonplace as using Google or an Excel spreadsheet.

3. Disinformation booms.

One of several areas where AI is not evolving as quickly as was hoped or feared is in the disinformation space. It’s generally agreed that the impact of AI-generated disinformation was low. But mis- and disinformation is a growing threat to organizations and individuals of all kinds, with or without the help of AI.

The misinformation about FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene didn’t need AI to spread and to harm people who needed real help. Basic Photoshop skills were all that was required to make an utterly false post from Burger King go viral in the arrest of the alleged killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. All these lies need to flourish is a credulous audience who shares without looking, thinking or considering. In some cases, the disinformation is spread by sophisticated state actors. In others, it’s from posters looking for a few lols. Either way, we can expect to see more of it in 2025, coming from all quarters and requiring constant vigilance to monitor and respond.

4. A rough job market for PR practitioners.

This was a hard year for many in the industry. The tech industry saw intense layoffs early in the year, many of which targeted marketing and communications staff. Just a few weeks ago, Edelman’s layoff of 5% of its staff roiled the industry. And the announcement of the merger of Omnicom and IPG seems to set the stage for a similarly tumultuous 2025.

AI will likely play some role in this, as companies find what aspects of work can be outsourced to a machine and what still requires the human touch. But consolidation of agencies may play a larger role overall.

There is no advice to give to avoid the axe; brilliant practitioners currently have their green “looking for work” banners up on LinkedIn. Be kind and help those you can when you can.

5. Communicators must become explainers.

Audiences are demanding greater transparency to understand how the companies and organizations they interact with every day impact their lives. Whether that’s United Healthcare’s op-ed, McDonald’s explanation of a deadly E.coli outbreak or any number of industries laying the groundwork for tariffs, stakeholders of all kinds are demanding answers. It will fall to communicators to find creative, honest ways of telling the stories of decisions that may be unpopular. This will take all the skill they possess and the stakes at the moment feel unfathomably high. But true communicators don’t just explain – they act as advocates for their audience and help shape the decisions that become messages that become public opinion.

The industry is up to the task.