Traditionally, the “R” in PR stands for relations. The practice of public relations focuses on how a person or brand is perceived by the public. According to the PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), the definition of PR is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
I founded my public relations agency in 2010. Fifteen years ago, the “R” in PR could’ve stood for “reaction.” Brands and leaders considered the public reaction to their campaign, message, service or product.
The problem with the current “R” is that consumers and technology have drastically changed, and traditional thinking and practices are no longer effective.
The Impact Of AI’s Role In PR
Now, generative engine optimization (GEO) and strategies that incorporate AI search results must be part of any impactful PR effort. That’s because 44% of AI-powered search users say it’s their primary and preferred source of information, beating traditional search and brand websites. And what’s fueling AI search citations? Journalism or earned media and social media content. As AI search results increasingly influence public perception and your brand’s reputation, the PR strategies that fuel AI search can’t be ignored.
Leading PR practices now consider AI a stakeholder in crisis planning and management. Deepfakes and bots are fueling crises online and are playing a role in the spread of misinformation. And even if it isn’t a full-blown crisis, stakeholders are increasingly aware and skeptical of content generated by AI: 73% of people say their trust in a leader would decline if AI-generated messaging wasn’t disclosed.
The Reputation Premium
Older research (from 2015) by Harvard Business Review shows that a CEO’s personal reputation makes up nearly half of a company’s overall reputation. I believe this has become only more important over time. Another source, from 2024, reported that 93% of consumers and 76% of senior executives say that a CEO being active on social media helps build corporate reputation and credibility.
Leadership perception and reputation are quantifiable drivers of business value. And whose reputation must be considered because it’s critical for trust? The CEO, the executives and the people inside a brand. That’s whose reputation matters.
Executives are influencers, and employees are influencers. What they share online and on social media affects the business’s present and future because, when names are searched, past posts contribute to a generative reputation. People have emotions, perspective and a soul in a way a brand can’t.
While speaking to a group of leaders, a CEO lamented to me that applications to work in his manufacturing business had decreased. His marketing and public relations teams hadn’t considered his reputation as a factor keeping people from submitting applications. A quick online search uncovered that a man with the same unique first and last name had recently been convicted of a sex offense in the same state. The CEO I was working with didn’t think his reputation mattered so his photo wasn’t on the business website, and he didn’t have any active social media accounts. Anyone searching for his name wouldn’t know there was more than one man in the state with that name.
On the flip side, I recently met a woman leading a construction company. She was losing quality talent to larger companies. The leader received excellent, effective advice to update her website to include her picture, company culture practices and differentiate her business as woman-owned. She quickly saw an increase in job applications, her retention increased and she won more business. The company recently had a record year, and she attributes it to focusing on her reputation.
Tried-And-True Principles Remain
Good PR moves people to make decisions, and what hasn’t changed over time is the requirement that PR strategies must solve and improve a business’s problems. This is done by building trust, reputation and tapping into human emotion. The principles of connection that have always worked are timeless. We need to make people feel something; we need to build connections to build trust. And now, we need to do it in a fully digital, searchable environment.
Public Reputation rather than Public Relations shifts to modern-day practices and mindsets that are proactive rather than reactive. Public Reputation considers the problem a business is facing and understands what current and future actions its audience might take, including AI search prompts and social media searches.
Whether the “R” in PR changes, the strategies must evolve to incorporate reputation. You can’t buy your way to the top of an AI-generated search. Reputation is currency. And the currency is now being exchanged and decided online.
Kristi’s article was originally posted in Forbes on June 2, 2026.