Does public relations have the skills it needs for its future?

Today we’re chatting to Zeno’s Sarah Ogden and Thomas Bunn about its Clarity 2030 report. The report identifies a fundamental shift in the PR sector suggesting we are moving from the "Information Age" (where PR focused on distribution and volume) to the "Intelligence Age" (where PR must focus on strategic counsel and business outcomes).

The report suggests PR has a Readiness Gap - in essence it is saying that currently public relations does not possess the skills required for the future this report predicts.

This is a study across N America, Europe and Asia.

Before we start, do check out our next PR Masterclass: AI in PR. When I put together the speaker lineup for PR Masterclass: AI in PR, I make sure we invite speakers who are actually doing it. Not just talking about it.

Check out the full speaker line-up on  https://www.prmasterclasses.com/masterclass/pr-masterclasses-ai-in-pr

Here is a summary of what PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed with Sarah and Thomas on the PRmoment podcast:

What is PR’s readiness gap?

What are the skills PR people have, and what are the skills the Clarity 3030 report predicts PR people will need? And what are the skills people with therefore no longer need in PR, according to this report?

What are your other top 5 findings of the report?

In the report it predicted 40% of current people working in PR will leave the sector. What was the justification for that prediction?

What were the main geographical differences coming through in the report?

How does Clarity 2030 view the evolving role of agencies in the PR ecosystem?

Likewise, how does the report predict the role of the in-house team will change?

The report suggests AI will automate the tactical 'heavy lifting' by 2030. If the tasks juniors traditionally use to 'cut their teeth' disappear, how does Zeno—and the wider industry—plan to train the next generation of strategic advisors who have never had to do the tactical groundwork?

Top Findings

The Strategic Pivot: By 2030, "Media Relations" will no longer be the primary KPI for top-tier PR. Instead, Strategic Counsel and Reputation Risk Management are cited as the top priorities for business leaders.

The Talent Mismatch: There is a significant lag in "Business Acumen." The report finds that while PR pros are excellent at storytelling, they are often unable to speak the "language of the boardroom" (finance, operations, and data analytics).

Summary

Meeting discussions analyzed the PR sector readiness gap and the necessity for strategic business advisory evolution.

Industry Readiness Gap Challenges
The PR sector faces a significant readiness gap, with 29% of professionals feeling unprepared for the shift toward strategic advisory roles. High-pressure environments and insufficient investment contribute to projected talent departures.

AI Integration and Skills
Communications teams are pivotally involved in AI adoption, yet lack necessary internal tools. Prioritizing emotional intelligence and creativity remains essential for overcoming the deprioritization of traditional tactical skills.

Strategic Evolution of Roles
Agencies must transition to providing deep business intelligence while in-house teams adopt strategic growth advisor positions. Training programs require fundamental restructuring to emphasize critical thinking alongside AI literacy for junior talent.

Transcript

• Introduction to Zeno's Clarity 2030 Report: Ben Smith introduced the Zeno Clarity 2030 report, which indicates a fundamental shift in the PR sector from an "information age" focused on distribution and volume to an "intelligence age" focused on strategic counsel and business outcomes. The report also highlights a "readiness gap," suggesting that public relations currently lacks the necessary skills for the future, based on a study across North America, Europe, and Asia. Ben Smith also invited listeners to check out the PR masterclass on AI in PR.
• The Concept of PR's Readiness Gap: Zeno’s Thomas Bunn explained that the initial hypothesis was that communications influence had grown across areas like business strategy, risk, and growth, but there was doubt about communicators' readiness for this rising influence. While 72% globally anticipate greater influence, a significant 29% of communicators do not feel ready for what is approaching, which relates to the complexity of the task and the acceleration of the role's evolution. Communicators currently lack the necessary tools, talent, and skills to fully achieve communications' potential by 2030.
• Evolving Skills and PR's Strategic Role: Sarah Ogden stated that the shift is not only due to job complexity but also the evolution of communication professionals from "doing the job" to contributing to serious business decisions as advisers and interpreters. This necessity is driven by the current climate, which requires communications to be central to critical business decisions, requiring professionals to manage day-to-day tasks while possessing the necessary knowledge to advise the organization. Sarah Ogden further emphasized that every communications job, regardless of whether it involves selling toothpaste or responding to new policy, requires deep strategy, intelligence, and understanding of stakeholders' values and shifting behaviors.
• Specific Skills Lacking and Areas of Focus: Thomas noted that a lack of confidence was observed in skills such as advising the C-suite during high-stakes moments and navigating misinformation. While data, AI, and emerging platforms are important and have received focus, this has led to a deprioritization of other areas like media relations or talent engagement. The goal is to ensure a mix of skills for well-prepared, high-performing communicators over the coming years.
• Communications' Role in AI Adoption: A surprising finding from the report was that 65% of communicators globally feel they have a more critical role in AI adoption and transformation than IT. However, fewer than half of communicators felt they had the necessary tools or access to tools to execute this job. Thomas clarified that communications' role in AI adoption is an internal communications function, viewing it as a "people challenge" centered on building confidence and trust in AI among employees.
• Investment and the Importance of Creative Experimentation: Thomas noted that while the influence of communications is growing, the necessary investment is not. Communications departments often take on new responsibilities, such as internal communications for AI, without an increase in team size or resources. Separately, the report's findings highlighted that creative experimentation and creativity were the number one skills valued for the future in communications. This creativity is defined as finding smart, effective solutions to complex problems, and it requires emotional intelligence and softer skills that machines cannot yet fully replicate.
• The Predicted Exodus from the PR Sector: The report predicts that 40% of current PR workers will leave the sector, which Sarah Ogden attributes to the high-pressure environment where in-house communication professionals must take on more channels, roles, and expertise without sufficient investment. This highly pressured way of working is "always on" and is compounded by a consistent lack of investment in communications functions despite recognition of their value. Thomas added that the 40% figure was primarily driven by AI disruption and job uncertainty, followed by leadership misalignment, lack of investment, and limited advancement opportunities.
• Regional Variations in Readiness and Trust: Thomas discussed regional differences in the study, noting that while 29% globally felt ready for 2030, this figure varied, with France at 12% readiness and the UK at 30%. The largest variances were in AI adoption, with APAC being the most advanced and assertive, while Europe is more cautious, focusing on ethics and trust. Sarah Ogden noted that APAC's high attitude toward earned media as a trust driver (over 80%) was particularly interesting, given the region's digital advancement.
• The Evolving Role of PR Firms: Sarah Ogden emphasized that the communication industry should avoid putting things in boxes, noting that corporate communications is becoming more "consumerized" in its approach. Clients now require agnostic thinking from agencies, valuing an ability to think beyond categories like B2B and applying consumer insights to corporate matters. The major shift for agencies is the demand for deeper intelligence and advisory services that utilize an "intelligence stack" of insights to help clients make better decisions.
• The Evolving In-House Role and the Machine as a Stakeholder: Sarah Ogden stressed the critical nature of the client-partner relationship, requiring real-time, quick insights, especially given the current landscape. Thomas shared that an in-house client had an "aha moment" when discussing the need to communicate with machines as a new stakeholder group, alongside consumers and employees, which may require team restructuring. Agencies are increasingly being asked not just to solve communications challenges but to help structure teams and build technology solutions, which requires increasing the bench strength of technology experts.
• In-House Teams as Strategic Growth Advisors: In-house teams are using agencies differently, relying on them for deep actionable and quick intelligence, and to prepare them for C-suite discussions. Thomas noted that communications professionals historically focused on solving communications challenges but are now expected to have deep business acumen. Communications is no longer seen as "downstream" from business decisions but as a strategic growth adviser that helps the C-suite determine and implement business strategy.
• Addressing the Development of Junior Talent: The automation of tactical heavy lifting by AI by 2030 raises concerns about how to train and upskill junior employees, who traditionally rely on those tasks to learn. Sarah Ogden stated that this requires a wholesale rethinking of learning and development, which involves experimenting with new models and approaches. This includes initiatives like Project Gap, which gives young employees a voice at the highest decision-making tables, and creating AI playgrounds for safe, playful learning and experimentation.
• Recalibrating Training for the Future: Thomas reported that academic institutions are seeking guidance on preparing future talent, noting that the industry is sending mixed messages by stressing the need for both AI literacy and strong writing skills. It is harder to teach essential skills like critical thinking, empathy, and resilience than it is to teach someone how to use an AI tool to write a press release. The focus needs to be on recalibrating training programs to strengthen emotional intelligence and "softer skills" alongside technological expertise.