Artificial intelligence may be transforming public relations and digital marketing, but new international research suggests most journalists still strongly prefer human-written press releases and personalised media outreach over AI-generated content.
The findings are significant for businesses investing in press release distribution and media outreach strategies, particularly as competition for journalist attention becomes increasingly intense in an overcrowded digital news environment.
A survey of 200 UK journalists found that 76 per cent oppose PR professionals using AI to generate media pitches or press releases.
Of those surveyed, 44 per cent said they are strongly opposed to AI-written content and would not consider it at all, while another 32 per cent said they would still prefer human-written pitches, even if some AI assistance is used.
Only seven per cent of journalists said they actively support fully AI-generated press releases.
The wider global research, based on more than 1,800 journalists internationally, found that many reporters associate AI-generated outreach with spam, low-quality writing, factual inaccuracies and a lack of personalisation.
For companies relying on press release distribution to reach media outlets, the message is becoming increasingly clear: journalists still value relevance, credibility and authentic human communication.
This presents an important challenge for brands attempting to automate public relations entirely through generative AI systems.
At the same time, the research also highlights how heavily modern newsrooms depend on PR professionals for story ideas and expert commentary. Around 76 per cent of UK journalists said PR professionals remain one of their main sources of stories, significantly ahead of social media and news agencies.
Shrinking newsroom budgets, staff reductions and increasing publishing demands are forcing journalists to rely more heavily on external sources, including press releases, expert interviews, corporate statements and access to industry data.
“Newsroom layoffs and shrinking teams” were identified as one of the biggest challenges facing journalists today.
This growing dependency on external content has accelerated concerns about “churnalism”, a term used to describe journalism heavily based on press releases and syndicated content rather than original reporting.
At the same time, media organisations globally are rapidly integrating AI tools into newsroom operations themselves. Researchers tracking AI adoption across international newsrooms have found that AI systems are now being used for content production, audience engagement, newsroom management and media distribution workflows.
Yet despite this growing technological integration inside news organisations, journalists remain sceptical about receiving mass-produced AI-generated pitches from outside PR agencies and marketing departments.
The issue appears to be less about AI itself and more about poor implementation.
Why Relevance Matters More Than Automation
Journalists surveyed said relevance remains the single most important factor when deciding whether to consider a press release or media pitch. Around 79 per cent said they are more likely to respond to pitches directly connected to their beat, audience or reporting area.
The findings reinforce the importance of targeted press release distribution backed by a high-quality media contact database rather than bulk automated outreach.
For businesses seeking media coverage, this means that simply generating thousands of AI-written emails is unlikely to improve results. Successful PR campaigns still depend heavily on accurate journalist targeting, personalised communication and newsworthy content.
This is where professional press release distribution platforms and verified media contact databases continue to play a critical role.
A properly maintained media contact database allows organisations to identify journalists by industry, geography, publication type and editorial focus, helping businesses avoid one of the biggest complaints journalists expressed in the research: irrelevant pitching.
The report found that 74 per cent of journalists are likely to block PR professionals who repeatedly send irrelevant pitches, while 50 per cent will block contacts who follow up excessively.
For companies distributing news announcements, product launches, financial updates or corporate statements, precision targeting has become essential both for SEO visibility and media relationship management.
Professional press release distribution services also help brands improve online visibility through syndication across news websites, search engines and financial media platforms, supporting broader digital marketing and SERP strategies.
Search visibility has become increasingly important as AI-generated search summaries and algorithmic content recommendations reshape how audiences discover news online.
Industry analysts warn that trust and authenticity are becoming central competitive advantages in the AI era. Researchers studying synthetic media and AI-generated misinformation have highlighted growing public concerns around credibility, manipulated content and factual reliability online.
This may partly explain why journalists continue to place such a high value on trustworthy human communication, even as AI tools become more widespread throughout the media industry.
Press Release Distribution and Media Databases Still Matter
Email remains overwhelmingly the preferred method for journalists to receive press releases and pitches, with virtually all respondents selecting email over social media outreach or unsolicited phone calls.
For PR professionals and businesses using press release distribution services, the findings highlight several key priorities for improving media outreach performance:
• Use verified and regularly updated media contact databases • Personalise pitches to relevant journalists and publications • Focus on accuracy, relevance and credible sourcing • Avoid mass AI-generated spam campaigns • Provide genuinely newsworthy content with strong editorial value • Respond quickly to media enquiries and fact-checking requests
As AI becomes increasingly embedded in communications workflows, the companies that combine automation with human editorial oversight may ultimately achieve the best results.
For now, however, the latest data suggests journalists still want press releases written for humans, by humans — even in an AI-driven media landscape.
For organisations seeking stronger media exposure, improved SEO performance and better journalist engagement, combining targeted press release distribution with a reliable media contact database remains one of the most effective long-term PR strategies.
Platforms such as Presswire.com continue to focus on accurate journalist targeting, global media outreach and editorial-quality press release distribution rather than mass AI-generated media spam, helping brands achieve stronger visibility across search engines, news platforms and international media networks.