Since ChatGPT launched, the conversation around AI has been dominated by in-house efficiency gains but in 2026, we are now seeing a tangible impact on industrial media relations. We share our real-world observations on what has changed, what has stayed the same, and what it means for your industrial brand.
When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, we, like many, began exploring its potential for our internal workflows – using it for brainstorming, summarising research, and taking meeting notes. But 2025 was the year we started to see AI’s direct and noticeable impact on the trade media relations landscape. Based on our direct experience in the industrial sector, here’s what we’ve learnt.
The media relations shifts driven by AI
1. Trade media relations have become a higher priority
Marketing leaders’ focus on relations with specialist trade media is intensifying, due to generative engine optimisation (GEO) i.e. strategies to shape how brands are represented in AI Overviews and chats. Research shows that AI models rely on editorial media for nearly two-thirds (61%) of their content about brand reputation and in-depth trade media coverage is a goldmine of the detailed, expert information that AIs need to provide credible answers. The goal for industrial brands is no longer just to reach audiences through trade media articles directly but also indirectly through the filter of AI tools by becoming a cited, authoritative source for their responses.
2. Media planning has a new data point
Our media planning process has, therefore, evolved. To help us increase visibility in AI tools, we need to be working with media outlets most frequently cited by AI. This is indicated to us with a little badge in our Agility media database, which we can confirm with a bit of manual research on the topics our clients most want to be known for.
However, we don’t want audiences to only get their information through the medium of AI, which can make mistakes and surface out-of-date information. We still want them to read full articles published by professional journalists for the wider context and deeper understanding they provide.
We, therefore, need to balance coverage in the publications most cited by AI with articles in outlets that have strong subscriber bases in the right demographics. That’s why we are also placing a lot of focus on newsletters, where we can reach target audiences directly in their email inbox, bypassing AI algorithms entirely.
3. Impressions don’t reflect true media reach
Since mid-2025, major publishers around the world have reported significant drops in web traffic – a trend largely linked to Google’s AI Overviews and other generative AI tools, although there are also other factors at play. Our own client media coverage analysis has, in some cases, mirrored this with impressions (the potential audience based on unique monthly visitors) falling even as the number of mentions (the volume of coverage) continues to rise.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that fewer people are receiving our messages. One of the reasons is that increasingly, audiences are getting that information through AI outputs rather than visiting publications’ websites directly. In this zero-click context, impressions become a less reliable measure of media influence.
As a complement, we can also look at brand mentions and track cited pages in Semrush, which can give an indication of how earned media coverage validates and amplifies owned content for AI visibility. In addition, we can use targeted prompts to see how key messages from media coverage appear in AI responses and which publications are cited.
4. The commercial reality demands a new partnership approach
The expectation of free online journalism, the decline of traditional advertising, and now the zero-click phenomenon driven by AI are intensifying the commercial pressure on trade media and we are receiving more requests from publications for financial support as a result.
It’s paradoxical that at a time when high-quality, credible journalism is more critical than ever to combat the flood of low value AI-generated content and misinformation, sustaining it has become more difficult. For brands, this creates both a responsibility and opportunity to invest in media partners’ trusted, in-depth reporting.
This investment must be strategic, however. Rather than allocating budget to low-impact banner ads, brands should focus on initiatives that deliver measurable engagement and credibility, such as sponsored content, webinars, and newsletter sponsorships.
Read more: Why media relations needs a partnership approach
5. Media relations is also about training the AI knowledge base
While AI companies are scraping journalism to train their models, some publishers are integrating their own AI tools. A leading construction publication we work with, Ground Engineering, for example, has launched Ask GE, an AI chatbot trained exclusively on its own articles. This provides readers with trusted answers and gives the publisher invaluable insight into what their audience is interested in.
This reinforces the point that media relations isn’t just about reach anymore; it’s about influencing the knowledge base – whether that’s a publication’s own AI or ChatGPT. If you want to be the answer, you must be in the articles that feed these AIs. However, it’s crucial to remember that AI won’t necessarily prioritise the most recent coverage. An article from five years ago might resurface if it’s deemed the best answer. This means content must be written with longevity and clear context from the start.
Read more: Why your next media pitch might be to train AI
6. The pitch has decidedly shifted to human expertise
If AI can summarise basic product information, and journalists are increasingly sceptical of generic content, the most valuable asset we can offer as public relations professionals is verifiable human expertise. The balance of our pitching has, therefore, swung towards a greater focus on thought leadership attributed to named, credible experts. A personal insight or a real-world story is a strong signal of credibility that cannot be easily faked by AI and is, therefore, more trusted by readers and algorithms alike.
The enduring principles of media relations
For all the change, the rise of AI has also reinforced the timeless principles of good PR.
1. Human-crafted content still wins
The most telling insight we’ve seen came from Google DeepMind’s comms team, who confirmed they are not using AI to draft their core press releases due to the need for nuance and strategic judgment. For your most important announcements, human expertise is still the way forward.
Read more: AI can write your press release in under five seconds. Here’s why you shouldn’t ask it to.
2. Authenticity is your moat
In a world of synthetic images, a real photo of a proud operator next to their dusty machine tells a more powerful story. A bit of mud isn’t an imperfection; it’s a badge of honour that builds a connection an AI-generated or heavily edited image never could.
Read more: Your AI-generated customer looks perfect. But have you lost your credibility?
3. Relationships remain the bedrock
Ultimately, our work is still about building genuine, one-to-one relationships with journalists through tailored, respectful, and valuable communication. When faced with a full inbox, they are more likely to open and act on pitches from communicators they can trust.
Read more: The value of human-powered PR in the AI age
Why AI translation changes everything and nothing
One of the most fascinating impacts of AI we’ve observed is in translation. In September 2025, we saw an English-only press release for a client receive nearly double the usual number of translated articles in markets like France and Germany.
The only logical explanation was the rise of high-quality AI translation tools being used by the publications themselves. While this opens up exciting possibilities for broad international reach, it doesn’t replace the need for professional human translation for high-stakes, targeted pitching where cultural nuance and a gesture of commitment are paramount.
Read more: To translate or not to translate: Are local language press releases still necessary?
Navigating industrial media relations in the age of AI
At SE10, we’re seeing firsthand how AI is reshaping the way audiences access and trust information. Human expertise, authenticity, and relationship building remain central – but they now need be structured, verified, and optimised for a world where AI is often the first port of call.
Success no longer depends solely on volume or impression. It requires a strategy that balances AI visibility with depth, credibility, and engagement and we believe that the teams who adopt this dual approach – human and AI-aware – will be the ones to grow their influence and become the go-to source for insight.
If you’d like to discuss how your brand can navigate this new media landscape, let’s talk.
Hannah Kitchener
Associate Director
About the author
Hannah is an associate director in the UK, leading strategic campaigns for industrial clients across the EMEA region. A professionally qualified journalist (NCTJ), she combines specialist sectoral knowledge in construction, energy, and materials handling with a strong network of trade media contacts to secure valuable coverage. Her expertise in inter-cultural communication, honed by degrees in modern languages and translation, is key to executing campaigns that succeed across diverse European markets.
