Gartner predicts PR budgets will increase two-fold by 2027. It's because of AI answers replacing search - GEO or AEO. I've unpacked and analysed this and Gartner's other four predictions in this long read article.

At last West Yorkshire is getting its own version of The Mill, The Tribue, and The Post from Mill Media. They are the real news newsletters that have taken Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool by storm. If you value real regional news then pledge your support now.

LinkedIn has just released its annual list of Jobs on the Rise in Leeds, ranking the area's 10 fastest-growing jobs. The good news is that 'Founder' is second which could indicate a growing economy. The bad news is founders are 68% male and just 32% female.

Great to see the Samaritans at Wakefield Westgate for Brew Monday reminding everyone to talk, share and listen. And they gave me a Tunnock's Wafer which certainly brightened my Monday.

Great to see the Samaritans at Wakefield Westgate for Brew Monday reminding everyone to talk, share and listen. And they gave me a Tunnock's Wafer which certainly brightened my Monday.

Google Slides is truly shocking. The very first thing I try to do, it can't do! Appears I can only use videos from YouTube or on Google Drive. Why can't I just upload it and it puts it in Google Drive for me? PowerPoint so much faster, easier, flexible and more powerful.

It's not often I read a review of a business book and author I've never heard of and instantly think I'll buy it. Usually I know of the author and have seen the book promoted before it is published. Chief Communications Officers at Work by Tabita Andersson is an exception. Thanks @nevillehobson.xyz

Has anyone cracked writing custom instructions for AI to make it always use British English and never Amercian English? Explicit instructions like "Use sentence case for headlines, never use capitals within the sentence", "Use S in preference to Z" don't work. The headline one never! Anyone?

Planning and Managing Public Relations Campaigns is my 5th day of Advent as it's essential reading for every PR professional. The 6th edition is just out and author Anne Gregory is joined by a new co-author Mandy Pearse. Once again I was privileged to be able to make a small contribution.

How AI savvy are you? On the second day of my Advent calendar I bring you the fun So You Think You Know AI for PR quiz. Are you an AI Super Hero powering your way to success with super human powers aided by AI or are you still lagging behind with Analog AI? purposefulrelations.com/ai-quiz/?utm...

On the eve of December it's now acceptable to mention Christmas and start opening the Advent calendars. Over the next 24 days I'm going to be offering a selection box of tips, ideas, reflections and predictions. Full versions on LinkedIn, summaries on your favourite platform.

Last lap home after busy, tiring and productive week. Folgate Advisors on our GEO white paper PRSA webinar on AI and ethics Client workshop on future of comms CIPR in-house AI Copilot training planning meet PRCA podcast planning meet PR Academy GEO workshop CIPR workshop on AI and crisis comms

Homeward bound after a very long day but fantastic day in Lyon... although not quite home yet as running a Crisis Comms and AI workshop in London tomorrow. Bizarrely virtually as won't have time to get home in time for it.

Snow at Heathrow as I wait to board my flight to Lyon where I am giving a talk on the future of public relations and communications. What would be the one thing you would say?

New @therestpolitics.bsky.social QandA - own goals in Number 10; inside the mind of a teenager; memories of Cheney; climate messages from Norway PM; machismo in Mexico; turmoil in Tanzania alastaircampbell.org/2025/11/468-...

A quick round-up of some of the feedback from Tuesday's launch by Purposeful Relations and 72Point of our Traditional Media’s Influence in the Age of AI and the Impact of Generative Relations and Communications white papers.

AI answers trusted more than social media influencers. Two new white papers from Purposeful Relations and 72Point cut through the AI answers, GEO/AEO hype to provide actionable insights for PR and comms professionals with insight from a poll of 5,000+ UK adults.

Golly gosh. Semrush has published a new 'AI Visibility Index' and Reddit is down 82%, Wikipedia 53%, Forbes up 44% and USnew up 137%. Piffle. If you're in PR or comms and want to avoid GEO hype then comment on my LinkedIn post to get the report we're publishing on Tuesday.

At the AMEC AI day summit and the news breaks that Getty Images has lost its copyright infringment case against Stability AI. What are the implications for other copyright owners and monitoring companies?

GEO (generative engine optimisation) is becoming critical to managing reputation and brand, but it's riddled with snake oil salesmen and hype. In this thoughtful article Converseon's Rob Key looks at the importance of keeping it ethical and effective.

Read this excellent interview with Simon Baugh, outgoing CEO of the UK Government Communication Service where Helen Dunne talks to him about why collaboration, innovation and skills are key to successful strategic communications.

One of the great things about AI today, compared to two years ago is hallucinations are rare. However, you need to be on guard as they still occur. This is a classic from Copilot which thinks my correct version of its name is wrong and tries to replace it with a hallucination!

Find out why new AI Growth Labs create opportunities and risks for PR and comms.

Delays and cancellations on @lner are rare. Looks like the next one is running and I've built in two hours slack so still fine to run Copilot training for the board of a PR and comms agency.

PS: also worth reading this work for some context on the statistics. bsky.app/profile/cent...

This is depressing. I'm editing a document to remove — em dashes (which I originally typed!) because naive folk will mistakenly think they are always a 'tell' for AI written content. They can indicate AI writing, but not always as AI uses them because people did originally.

At Leeds Digitial Forum getting a sneak peak at Leeds' economic strategy ahead of it going to exec board tomorrow and launch with Jonathan Pryor and Ed Whiting next week.

If you're at the @prweekuk.bsky.social InComms Corporate Comms Summit and heard all the talk about GEO then you need to sign up to our exclusive event for senior comms leaders. www.72point.com/hold-the-fro...

I had the honour and privilege of being Alan Johnson's director of communications when he stood to be deputy leader. I am delighted, and not surprised, he is backing @bphillipsonMP. bsky.social as deputy leader. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

More confirmation that I'm backing the best candidate in Labour's deputy leadership elections.

The Windows Studio Effects on my Surface Laptop Copilot+ are good and mean I now usually use my integrated laptop camera. But I'd like the flexibility of my external camera as well and now Microsoft is adding support for external cameras. ❤️

PRWeek has published a survey with Boston University which it says provides the biggest insights into AI’s use in PR yet produced. I've analysed the results and article to provide some analysis and commentary.

If soda means soft drinks or pop then they are all awful as they are all sweet. Ginger beer is the least worst, but bizarrely the ones with sugar aren't as sweet as those with sweetner.

Money alone is not the solution to all our ills. But without clear change, those ills will get much worse. A funding settlement that strengthens local government in poorer northern communities - as we have been promised - is essential to that change. inews.co.uk/news/politic...

MPs are using AI to write their speeches for the House of Commons and the governor of the Bank of England is using AI for his speeches. Are we destined to listen to robot overlords? Some practical analysis and thoughts.

New @therestpolitics.bsky.social - fallout from Rayner resignation, reshuffle and Reform conference; why we need to do more for white working class kids in education; and latest chapter in French political chaos alastaircampbell.org/2025/09/447-...

Interesting Astronomer case study in the On Background Substack newsletter about how it handled that CEO Coldplay crisis and the Gwyneth Paltrow video. It's behind a paywall so you have to subscribe to get a free article.

This chart is everywhere and is being horribly misinterpreted. This is not where the training data for AI comes from, it is a study done by a SEO firm that claims to show how often sites come up at least once in THE WEB SEARCH FUNCTION of certain AI agents when they do a web search for more info.

Fantastic piece which asks the question everyone should be asking.

I have never experienced rain like this at home in Leeds. It's tropical monsoon heavy. The patio flooded in about four minutes. But won't be enough to make any difference to Yorkshire Water's hosepipe ban.

This is pretty alarming

What they don't tell you is one of the reasons passwords don't work is because too many people are too lazy or stupid to use them properly. Unique secure passwords for every account ins't hard. Certainly a damn sight easier than passkeys or those frustrating one time log-in keys emailed or texted.

The truth is trumped on Truth Social: The AI search engine on Donald Trump's 'Truth Social' has been providing its own selective version of the truth ...

I'm in AI comms nerd heaven. The latest email from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change on how Shanghai is using AI to design the city of the future includes a link to a fascinating paper - Governing in the Age of AI: Reimagining Local Government.

When I worked in local news (just up the coast from Blackpool) the first thing I would have done is ask to spend a day or week living in one of these asylum hotels, and then written about the people, the conditions, etc. Do local reporters still do this kind of thing? Do/would people read it?

🏡Really good to spend some time with residents on the doorsteps of Ouzlewell Green alonsgside our local councillors and community volunteers. We picked up casework that we’ve now actioned. Door knocking is for life, not just for election time. @karenbruce.bsky.social

No 10 welcomes creators; Creators can be relevant not just to brands, but to corporate comms. However, opinions are divided - is this a clever way to engage the youth, or a scramble as this demographic slips away, coopting a tactic of right wing populism?

MIT research reveals many AI initiatives fall flat. Internal AI builds succeed only a third of the time, compared to 67% success for external solutions. Tools like ChatGPT excel for individuals, but not for businesses as they don't adapt to workflows. Shadow AI remains a big problem.