Friends, there is such a tool, and it’s called a subhead.

Well-written subheads can draw readers in, help people find what they’re looking for, keep readers reading, communicate to nonreaders and make your message more memorable.

“By far,” write the authors of “How People Read on the Web,” “the single most important thing you can do to help users consume content is to use meaningful [subheads], and make [them] visually pop as compared to body text.”

So, how can you write subheads right?

How to write great subheads

To get the word out via subheads:

1. Show the architecture of your piece. Think of your subheads as the Roman numeral outline of your piece. What are your topics I, II and III? Those are your subheads.

You’ll have a subhead for each topic in the body of your story, plus one subhead to separate the body from the conclusion. So if you have three topics, you’ll have four subheads.

2. Say something! The best subheads make your message skimmable. So don’t just label a section of text with the topic — “Mortgage services,” for instance. Tell the reader something. What about mortgage services?

Subheads that say “Problem,” “Solution” and “Result,” for instance, mean “Read this section to learn about the problem.” That’s not scanning, that’s reading! Instead, write a robust subhead that tells what the problem is.

Write subheads that reveal, rather than conceal, your contents.

3. Answer, don’t just ask, questions. If you raise a question in the subhead, answer it in display copy — a bold-faced lead-in, highlighted key words or a bulleted list, maybe.

If your subhead asks, “Why subheads?” for instance, you might answer the question in a list with bold-faced lead-ins:

1. Draw readers in. …
2. Help people find what they want quickly. …
3. Break copy up. …

Otherwise, your question tells skimmers, “read below to find out.” If they wanted to read, that’s what they’d be doing!

4. Use enough subheads — but not too many. If you have a subhead for every paragraph, you have too many subheads. Include a subhead every four to six paragraphs, suggest the folks at the BBC News Academy.
5. Keep them short. Limit subheads to a single line — on your phone. (Tip: Email your message to yourself and check it on your mobile to make sure.) That probably means up to five words.

Longer, and they’ll start looking like text, not display copy. And then you’ll lose the attention-grabbing power of subheads.

Don’t drop the subheads.

Writing subheads “may be the most important thing you do,” according to Jakob Nielsen, co-founder of Nielsen Norman Group usability consultancy.

So whatever you do, don’t drop the subheads.

Ann Wylie (WylieComm.com) helps PR professionals Catch Your Readers through writing training. Her workshops take her from Hollywood to Helsinki, helping communicators in organizations like Coca-Cola, Toyota, Eli Lilly and Salesforce draw readers in and move them to act. Never miss a tip: FreeWritingTips.wyliecomm.com.

Copyright © 2026 Ann Wylie. All rights reserved.

Photo credit: VZ_art

The post How to Write a Good Subhead: 5 Ways to Make the Most of This Essential Page Element first appeared on PRsay.

In those moments of tension, leaders reach a quiet crossroads — hold the line or rationalize a detour. Veer just slightly, and you may not notice the drift until you find yourself running aground. The small course corrections we choose when pressure rises ultimately determine our destination.

This is how ethical erosion begins — quietly, under pressure, when convenience overtakes conviction. Our ethics are not tested in obvious storms. They are tested in the subtle headwinds — when the right decision costs time, money, approval, or momentum.

Pressure is where leadership habits are forged. When reputation, revenue, or relationships are at stake, leaders reveal whether ethics is a true guide or merely a stated value. The most dangerous moments aren’t storms. More often than not, they happen in calm waters, ordinary days when minor compromises feel harmless. One slight deviation becomes another. The tide shifts gradually. And eventually, the organization wakes up far from the course it thought it was sailing.

A repeated pattern

In my professional work and in my role as ethics officer for the Arkansas Chapter of PRSA, I’ve seen this pattern repeat. Ethical leadership is rarely about dramatic heroics. It’s about steady navigation when no one is watching. It’s the discipline of checking your bearing long before consequences appear on the horizon.

Research confirms this reality. According to the Ethics & Compliance Initiative’s Global Business Ethics Survey, roughly 30% of employees report feeling pressure to compromise ethical standards at work.¹ That pressure doesn’t arrive like a squall with warning sirens. It comes quietly — disguised as urgency, pragmatism, or colored “just this once.” Left unchecked, it becomes the prevailing wind of normalized behavior.

The counterargument is understandable. Leaders rarely operate in perfect conditions. Decisions must be made quickly. Tradeoffs are inevitable. But ethical leadership does not require flawless navigation—it requires consistent orientation. Convenience is not neutral. Every time a leader trims the sails toward ease instead of principle, they signal to the crew how the organization truly charts its course.

Strong leaders understand pressure is not permission to abandon standards. It’s when standards matter most. A compass proves its worth when visibility drops. Ethical discipline keeps leaders oriented when the shoreline disappears and shortcuts start to appear deceptively safe.

So, pause when a decision feels rushed, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. Ask yourself: Is this a necessary course correction —or the beginning of drift? Reset your bearing before the current carries you farther than intended. Remember, leadership is not proven by speed alone. It is proven by direction — and by the courage to stay the course.

Access the PRSA Code of Ethics here.

Carson Horn, APR, is vice president, public relations at the Little Rock-based marketing agency The Communications Group, Accredited and certified in Crisis Communications through PRSA. He also serves as the ethics officer for the Arkansas PRSA Chapter.

Illustration credit: org

The post When the Right Decision Is the Inconvenient One first appeared on PRsay.

Among respondents, 50% of CMOs and 33% of CCOs said their budgets leave them well-equipped to make a difference for the business over the next six months, up from 40% and 23% respectively since the previous survey in June 2025.

“Alongside the sharp improvement in budgets, the latest CMO+CCO Meter found that workload is a growing challenge for marketing and communications,” said Denise Dahlhoff, head of the Research, Marketing & Communications Center for The Conference Board, a nonprofit business-membership and research organization.

“Compared to last June, satisfaction regarding workload fell 6 points among CMOs to 51% and a whopping 20 points among CCOs to just 34% — with AI, expectations, and market conditions all playing a role,” she said.

Other findings from the survey:

• 74% of CMO respondents said their team’s impact on the business grew over the past six months, down slightly from 77% in the previous survey.
• 67% of CMOs surveyed said their CEO’s assessment of the marketing team’s impact grew, up sharply from 55%.
• 50% of CMOs felt their budgets left them well-equipped to face business challenges, up from 40% in June 2025.
• 50% of CMOs surveyed felt well-equipped with their tools, down slightly from 52%.
• Just 42% of CMOs felt well-equipped by their teams, down sharply from 52%.
• 79% of CMOs rated their general satisfaction as “happy” or “very happy,” down slightly from 80% last June.

Credit: InfiniteFlow

The post Report: CCOs Feel Well-Equipped with Budgets, Less So With Teams first appeared on PRsay.

Biesenbach, a communications coach in Chicago and columnist for Strategies & Tactics, was among the panelists on March 23 for Member Mondays, PRSA’s monthly webinar for members and nonmembers.

When someone starts to tell a story, “The lights go on and we get engaged,” Biesenbach said. This human tendency to be captivated by stories “is universal, and with the rise of AI, it’s a key differentiator. AI may be able to shape our stories, but there’s no substitute for our own personal stories, the ones that come from our experience.”

Heide Harrell, PRSA’s 2026 Chair and host of Member Mondays, said stories are an opportunity to express emotion. Texts written by AI are just words, but when telling real stories, “we can make it be felt,” she said.

“Stories help us connect,” said panelist Lisa Arledge Powell, APR, CEO and founder of MediaSource in Columbus, Ohio. “We all start paying attention when a story is compelling and not just a fact or a figure.”

Panelist Heather Morgan, APR, is vice president of communications and business development at MHP Salud, a nonprofit that trains public health professionals who work with trauma patients in southern Texas.

As people, “We’re designed to connect with others,” she said. “That’s what storytelling allows us to do, to make that human connection. And it brings the emotional element.”

Make the audience the hero

Every good story will “pull the audience in,” Morgan said. “You need a hero, the person you’re trying to move into action. There’s a problem, there’s a solution, and a resolution. That’s what we do every day with storytelling.”

Arledge Powell agreed. “Set up the problem, and then segue into the solution without blatantly promoting the brand,” she said. “It should feel like an authentic story of how your organization is solving a problem.”

As PR pros, as communicators, “Our goal is to connect our audience with our brand, or our purpose, on a level that moves them to act,” Morgan said. “Storytelling lets our audience see themselves in the story, either as a character or ideally, as the hero.”

In the nonprofit, community-health realm, the heroes of her stories are donors and clients, Morgan said. “The organization is merely the conduit that supports these main characters. We never tell stories about us. We tell stories about you, and how you’ve changed communities,” to create “a more powerful experience for the audience.”

Biesenbach calls stories “the perfect emotion-delivery vehicle. Because emotion is what sells. You’ve got to win their heart to change their mind. Stories are an experience, not just passive.”

Building a bank of stories starts with understanding your audience’s biggest challenges — and how your organization helps solve them, he said.

Member Mondays is an initiative designed to foster direct engagement and provide valuable information sharing within the PR community. Member Mondays take place on the fourth Monday of each month from 1–1:45 p.m. ET. All programs are free for PRSA members. Sign up for future sessions here.

Photo credit: Gejsi

The post Member Mondays Recap: Why Emotional Storytelling Drives Action first appeared on PRsay.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C., area, Ross spent time at live sporting events not just watching the game, but observing everything around it — the messaging, the fan experience and the energy of the environment. That instinct carried into her academic path, where an early interest in reading and writing, paired with a passion for sports, led her to communications.

“I realized I didn’t just want to work in sports,” Ross said during the March 18 Strategies & Tactics Live session on LinkedIn hosted by Editor-in-Chief John Elsasser. “I wanted to shape how people experience them.”

That perspective — seeing beyond the scoreboard — continues to define her approach today.

Ross credits her ability to “read the room” in part to growing up with hearing loss, which required her to be highly attentive to tone, body language and context.

“I had to be very locked in on who I was communicating with and what was happening around me,” said Ross, membership chair of PRSA’s Entertainment & Sports Professional Interest Section. “That helped me become a more intentional observer and a more empathetic communicator.”

That awareness translates directly into her role with the Pirates, where understanding how messages will land across diverse audiences is critical.

The internal engine behind the brand

While many associate sports communications with media relations and public-facing messaging, Ross emphasized that much of her work happens behind the scenes.

Her role spans internal messaging, executive communications, change management, and cross-department alignment — all aimed at ensuring employees are informed, aligned, and equipped to represent the organization.

“A lot of people are surprised by how internal this work is,” she said. “It’s not just about the media — it’s about making sure our staff understands what we’re saying, what we’re not saying and why.”

That internal clarity, she noted, directly impacts how the organization shows up externally.

“When it’s done well, our people become strong ambassadors for our brand.”

Clarity over speed

In a fast-paced environment like Major League Baseball, the pressure to respond quickly is constant. Early in her career, Ross prided herself on speed — keeping her inbox at zero and responding immediately.

Over time, her perspective shifted.

“Speed is important, but clarity and accuracy are what build trust,” she said. “Sometimes you have to pause, confirm details and align internally before communicating.”

That discipline becomes especially important in moments of uncertainty or potential crisis, where established processes allow communicators to respond with intention rather than react impulsively.

Tailoring messages across audiences

From players and staff to corporate partners and fans, the Pirates’ communications ecosystem is complex. Ross emphasized that while audiences differ, the foundation remains the same: accuracy, clarity and empathy.

“It’s about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes,” she said. “Understanding what they need, what context they have, and how they might interpret a message.”

That mindset also reinforces a key principle: internal and external communications should never feel disconnected.

“Employees should be hearing the same themes and priorities that we’re sharing externally,” Ross said. “You don’t want your internal audience learning things last.”

Consistency, early information-sharing and cross-functional collaboration help ensure alignment across the organization.

Breaking into sports communications

For students and early-career professionals interested in sports, Ross offered a candid reality check: passion is important — but it must be balanced with professionalism.

“You are a fan second,” she said. “You can’t let that excitement override your responsibility to the organization.”

Building trust with players, colleagues and leadership requires a clear understanding that the job is about supporting people and the brand — not personal fandom.

Her own career path underscores the value of networking and patience. After attending a sports career event and building a strong connection, she received a message years later that led her to apply for her role with the Pirates.

“Put yourself out there and trust that it will happen,” she said.

What sets great communicators apart

Ross drew a clear distinction between good and great communicators.

“A good communicator delivers a message clearly,” she said. “A great communicator anticipates questions, understands their audience deeply and builds trust over time.”

That ability to anticipate — rather than simply react — is especially critical in high-visibility, fast-moving environments like professional sports.

Ultimately, Ross sees her role as contributing to something larger than baseball.

“It’s about creating moments and sharing stories that people carry with them long after the game,” she said.

Here, Ross takes part in the S&T Live lightning round!

Photo credit: Douglas — stock.adobe.com

The post S&T Live Recap: Inside the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Internal Comms Game Plan first appeared on PRsay.

In a survey, business leaders in North America and Europe said different groups push them to take stands on divisive issues. Voices within the company are sources of that pressure, including employees, corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion teams, and the leader’s peers.

External stakeholders also expect CEOs and other business leaders to take stands. They include consumers, investors, government regulators and consultants. External influencers also exert that pressure, including the media, celebrities, experts, social media influencers, activists, friends and family, and company analysts.

Personal beliefs sometimes motivate CEOs to make public comments on divisive social and political issues. The researchers said it’s a blind spot when company leaders believe their personal beliefs should determine business decisions. A CEO’s personal views may conflict with the beliefs of company shareholders, to whom those leaders have a fiduciary responsibility.

Another blind spot, the researchers said, is when business leaders are overly influenced by groups of their own employees.

“We remind senior leaders that employees’ views rarely represent the breadth of a company’s stakeholders and can diverge sharply with the views of consumers and investors,” the researchers wrote.

Business leaders often don’t understand the range of their consumers’ views. Companies sometimes acquiesce to a vocal minority that doesn’t represent their entire consumer base, alienating the majority in the process.

For further reading on PRsay: The Return to the Statement Era: Knowing When to Speak Out

Illustration credit: Taslima

The post Pressure, Blind Spots Push CEOs to Take Divisive Stances, Research Finds first appeared on PRsay.

“We’re in the first inning of AI,” Peter McDermott said. “We’re going to figure this out, but we’re just at the beginning of it.”

McDermott, head of the corporate-affairs practice for consulting firm Korn Ferry in New York, was among the panelists on March 9 on “AI Pulse,” PRSA’s monthly briefing hosted by Ray Day, APR, vice chair of Stagwell, executive chair of Allison Worldwide, and PR’s 2026 immediate past chair.

Communicators are starting to look at AI less as a tool and more as an audience in itself, he said. “Writing your communications so that it can’t be misunderstood by AI” is becoming important. “Knowing how to write content for AI will get folded into career development.”

Panelist Jessamyn Katz is CEO of New York-based Heyman Associates, an executive-search firm specializing in communications.

“I’m thinking about AI as the latest tool in the communications toolbox that everyone needs to get smart on,” she said. “Those who are leaning into that opportunity are the ones who are going to excel. AI isn’t going to take your job, but the person who is better at using AI might.”

AI skills become essential for communicators

Panelist Anthony D’Angelo, APR, Fellow PRSA, is a professor of practice in public relations at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Since ChatGPT’s debut in late 2022, “The speed of AI adoption is just astonishing,” he said. “There will be a lot of disruption, but I’m cautiously optimistic about where it will take us.”

During the Industrial Revolution, ditch diggers had to learn how to operate steam shovels, he said. “It’s the same for communicators with generative AI, with one key difference: Steam shovels don’t get better the more you use them. Generative AI does. We have to keep up with that.”

Day asked how well the PR profession is adapting to AI technology.

D’Angelo cited a report from Meltwater, a media intelligence company, which found that more than 90% of PR teams are already using generative AI to draft press releases, optimize content and brainstorm ideas. But only about half have policies in place governing how they use the technology.

“We are building this airplane as we fly it, and there’s risk involved in that,” D’Angelo said.

He added that graduating students must be able to answer this question in a job interview: “How would you add value to the use of today’s technology tools?”

If anyone can generate content by pushing a button, “It’s fair for an employer or a client to ask, ‘What do I need you for, PR person?’” D’Angelo said. “We have to educate our students and working professionals on how to add value to the use of those tools.”

Panelist Paula Davis is a member of the communications and corporate affairs practices at executive recruiter Heidrick & Struggles in New York.

“Over-relying on AI is a huge risk,” she said, as are “not having alignment in how your organization is using AI and not understanding how the large language models work.” When communications professionals look for jobs today, “having examples of how you’re using AI is very important.”

In her own work, “I will brainstorm with Claude AI, as I would a human,” she said. Davis also cautioned about the mental-health implications of over-humanizing artificial intelligence.

For communicators, the message from the panel was clear: AI will continue reshaping the profession, and those who learn to use it thoughtfully — rather than resist it — will be best positioned to lead.

Illustration credit: Umnat

The post How Communicators Are Navigating AI’s Rapid Rise first appeared on PRsay.

Each year, when PR award submissions open, many of us feel the same mix of excitement and dread. The excitement comes from the possibility of having our work recognized. The dread comes from finding the time to prepare a thoughtful submission amid everything else on our plates.

It’s easy to question whether the effort is worth it, especially in years when the results don’t include a win. After all, submissions can take hours to write, refine, and package. If your entry doesn’t place, it can feel like all that work was a waste. For years, that was my mindset heading into award season. But over time, I realized that crafting award entries was actually making me a better PR practitioner. In fact, it can be one of the most practical professional development exercises in our field.

That shift in mindset changed my approach. Now, once the final “submit” button has been clicked, I know the effort has already delivered value. Reflecting on the past year’s work through the structure of an award entry consistently sharpens my thinking and ultimately makes me a better PR practitioner. If you’re in the thick of drafting submissions or feeling the fatigue that can come with awards season, here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way (and hopefully a bit of encouragement!).

1. It keeps you organized throughout the year

One thing I didn’t expect when I started writing award submissions was how much it would change the way I organize my work during the year. If you’ve ever found yourself digging through old email threads or Slack messages trying to locate a key stat, a media hit, or a campaign asset months after a project wrapped, you know how painful that process can be.

After scrambling to find materials one too many times, I started saving coverage, screenshots, and campaign timelines as they happened, organized in clearly labeled folders. The result is less digging when award season arrives and, as a bonus, faster answers when clients ask for examples or metrics throughout the year.

2. It strengthens measurement and evaluation skills

Award writing forces you to confront the question every PR professional faces: Did the campaign actually work? Big numbers look impressive, but judges are looking for something deeper. They want to understand the impact. Did the campaign shift awareness, influence behavior, or support a broader business goal?

Writing submissions pushes me to focus less on activity metrics and more on real impact, and perspective now shapes how I build measurement into campaigns from the start.

3. It sharpens storytelling skills

At its core, a strong award submission is a story. You are taking a campaign that may have unfolded over months, with multiple tactics, stakeholders and challenges, and turning it into a clear narrative that someone unfamiliar with the work can understand quickly.

Learning to distill complex campaigns into that narrative has strengthened my storytelling across the board, from internal presentations to client reports and media pitches.

4. It prepared me for the APR process

Writing award submissions also helped me strengthen something many PR professionals spend years refining: clearly distinguishing between goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics.

Judges expect those elements to be clearly defined and for the examples to be placed in the right categories. If something that is really a tactic is presented as a strategy, or an objective isn’t measurable, it can quickly undermine the credibility of the submission.

After doing this repeatedly, I realized I had been practicing many of the same skills required for the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) process. Structuring campaigns clearly in award submissions turned out to be excellent preparation.

5. It makes me better at submitting awards for clients

Perhaps the most unexpected benefit is that writing PR award entries has made me much stronger at submitting award nominations on behalf of clients. Many clients pursue recognition through industry honors, leadership awards, or innovation lists. Those submissions require many of the same skills as PR awards: clearly framing the challenge, demonstrating impact and telling a persuasive story about why the nominee stands out.

Understanding how judges evaluate submissions helps me highlight the right details and build stronger cases for recognition.

The real win

Yes, winning is exciting. But even in years when there’s no trophy on the shelf, the process has helped me become a more thoughtful, organized, and strategic communicator. And that’s a win I get to take with me into every campaign that comes next.

Laura DiCaprio, APR, is a PR strategist who loves the challenge of uncovering and shaping stories for leading global brands. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Illustration credit: ATKWORK888

The post Fact: Submitting for PR Awards Will Make You a Better Practitioner first appeared on PRsay.

“You can’t just say, ‘I want to make this program for Hispanic women or for Black men,’” she said. “It’s not just about the Hispanic woman — it’s the Hispanic woman who is married to a woman. It’s the Black man who is also Jewish. Leaders have to be more diverse in their thinking and open-minded in order to succeed.”

Soriano-Foreman was a panelist for “The Next Era of Leadership: Black Voices Shaping the Future of PR,” PRSA’s webinar held on Feb. 24. Hosted by Sabrina Browne, co-chair of PRSA’s Black Voices Affinity Group, the discussion explored how leadership expectations are evolving across generations, identities and media environments.

Browne said she agrees with “those themes of individuality with inclusion but also intersectionality. There are so many aspects that make up the individual.”

That recognition of complexity — and the responsibility it entails — was a recurring theme throughout the session.

Media Literacy and Moral Alignment

Addis Romero, a senior studying strategic communications at Morgan State University in Baltimore and a research intern at the agency Monday Talent, emphasized that leaders must sharpen their media literacy and influencer-vetting processes.

“There is a new responsibility of influencer-vetting and being media literate,” she said. For communications leaders, “not only do you need to be inclusive, but you also need to do your research, which a lot of companies are missing and some PR professionals are lacking. That’s why we’re seeing backlash from viewers that can damage your brand’s reputation if you don’t go through that influencer-vetting process.”

Romero added that Gen Z is reshaping expectations for brands and employers alike.

“Because we are so deeply politically and socially aware, we expect the brand to follow that,” she said. “Morality shapes how we engage, whether with the workforce or in our media. If a brand’s ethos does not align with what we believe in, we’ll actively choose to not engage with it.”

Her message was clear: values alignment is no longer a differentiator — it is a baseline expectation.

Mentorship Is Important. Sponsorship Is Essential.

Kadrie Lamin, manager of brand communications for Hilton in Washington, D.C., said senior leaders must move beyond traditional mentorship models.

“Mentorship is obviously very important, but sponsorship is even more essential,” he said. “It happens when leaders actively advocate for talent, especially when that person may not have a voice or a seat at the table. That advocacy can be game-changing. I’ve experienced it firsthand.”

Sponsorship, Lamin explained, is about “using your influence to open doors” — not just offering advice but recommending emerging professionals for opportunities and elevating their visibility.

Damaryan Benton, an account executive at the Los Angeles advertising agency Anomaly and founder of The PR Habitat, a nonprofit networking group for young communications professionals of color, said today’s leaders face a more complex landscape than previous generations.

“Previous generations navigated media cycles, reputation management, digital transformation, and how to utilize all those tools,” he said. “Today’s leaders and future leaders also have to navigate algorithmic bias within creator economies and the political polarization.”

Campaigns now demand sharper ethical scrutiny, he added. “What are we asking? Who does this harm? Who does it benefit?” If those questions go unanswered, “It can lead to real-time backlash and people feeling misrepresented.”

“We want to make sure that Gen Z presence and representation are accurate,” Benton said. “If it’s not going to be a Gen Z person leading it, we don’t align with that. We should know what we stand for and what we will not accept as the standard in our industry. Future leaders are excited to take on that challenge.”

Closing the access gap

Several themes stood out during the session.

The next generation of Black leaders remains resolute and resilient amid uncertainty. They are not naïve about the challenges within the profession — from access barriers to structural inequities — yet they are clear-eyed and focused on growth.

Panelists underscored that advancement cannot rely on talent alone. Exposure, internships, sponsorship and investment all matter. There is still urgent work to close the access gap, particularly by expanding opportunities for Black students at HBCUs and at institutions that do not traditionally feed into the communications profession.

There was also a strong call to upskill Black talent — and all young professionals entering the field — through meaningful mentorship and true sponsorship. Advancement requires more than skill. It requires advocacy.

As the discussion made clear, the next era of PR leadership will demand intersectional thinking, moral clarity, media literacy and structural commitment to access. Representation alone is not enough. Leadership must be intentional, accountable and inclusive by design.

Illustration credit: Arkan

The post The Next Era of PR Leadership: Inclusion, Influence and Accountability first appeared on PRsay.

“Our latest version has evolved, as the technology has become more widely adopted,” said Linda Staley, APR, Fellow PRSA. “We continue as practitioners to experience both the promise and pitfalls of AI.”

Generative AI offers great potential for PR professionals, but the technology also brings many risks, Staley said during the Feb. 23 installment of Member Monday, PRSA’s monthly webinar for members and nonmembers.

Staley is the 2026 chair of PRSA’s Board of Ethics and Professional Standards, which looks at AI in communications “through PRSA’s unique Code of Ethics,” she said. “We’re talking about professionalism, responsibility, and the ethical use of this incredible, incredibly powerful tool that really does promise to transform the way we work.”

Heide Harrell, APR, PRSA’s 2026 chair, hosts Member Monday this year. She asked how the updated AI guidance differs from the original version that PRSA released in 2023.

The updated guidelines emphasize human accountability, transparency and disclosure when using AI in communications, said panelist Michael Cherenson, APR, Fellow PRSA.

“We’re all trying to make sense of this,” he said. “AI is embedded in our workflows now, whether we like it or not.”

With the updated guidelines, “It’s less, ‘Should we use it?’ and more, ‘How do we use it? How do we govern it?’” Cherenson said. “AI is not a moral agent. Responsibility remains with the professional. We need to own the output, and frankly, the inputs.”

The first edition of PRSA’s guidance on AI “was about understanding the technology, and the second edition is about our stewardship” for using the technology ethically in PR, Cherenson said.

AI guidelines rooted in PRSA Code of Ethics

Panelist Holly Kathleen Hall, J.D., APR, is a professor of strategic communications at Arkansas State University. Harrell asked her for a reasonable first step organizations can take toward AI governance.

“The first step any organization needs to take is to do an audit, to see what AI tools they’re currently using,” Hall said. “How are they using them? Are they encountering any problems related to those tools?”

Once those questions are answered, the organization can create a structure around its use of AI, Hall said. She recommended policies for disclosing when an organization uses AI to create content.

Communicators should also double-check that AI-generated content is accurate and unbiased, she said. When using public AI tools, organizations should be careful to protect their internal or proprietary data, Hall said.

“And then track it over a month or a quarter to see if any issues arise with copyrights, trademarks or intellectual property,” she said. “If you can start there and then slowly expand it out, you’ll be in good shape.”

Panelist Lisa Low is an associate professor of practice in public relations and strategic-communication management at Texas Tech University. Harrell asked her how ethical expertise in communications is evolving in the age of artificial intelligence, especially for professionals just starting their careers who need to learn professional judgment.

“The guidelines begin and necessarily end with our Code of Ethics,” Low said. “It’s more important than ever that we help our students and those just starting their careers to understand the Code of Ethics. Through that lens, we can understand how and when we should use the technology.”

Member Mondays is an initiative designed to foster direct engagement and provide valuable information sharing within the PR community. Member Mondays take place on the fourth Monday of each month from 1–1:45 p.m. ET. All programs are free for PRSA members. Sign up for future sessions here.

The post Member Mondays Recap: As AI Evolves, So Do PRSA’s Guidelines on Using It Ethically first appeared on PRsay.