PRCA forms AI-focused innovation group

The working group was created following the publication of the PRCA Innovation Charter

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has established an Innovation Working Group to help the public relations industry address the growing impact of artificial intelligence on agency operations, measurement, and professional practice.

The practitioner-led body held its inaugural summit in London on 6 May 2026, bringing together agency and communications leaders from the UK and international markets. Participants agreed on three initial workstreams, with outputs scheduled for delivery by August 2026.

Industry response to AI challenges

The working group was created following the publication of the PRCA Innovation Charter, which identified a range of challenges facing the profession. These include changes to commercial models, the need for effective measurement in AI-driven media environments, and increasing demand for strategic AI expertise within communications teams.

The group includes representatives from independent agencies, global networks, and consultancy businesses across the sector.

Three workstreams established

The first workstream, The Commercial Model Reset, will examine the pressure AI is placing on traditional agency revenue models as automation reduces execution times.

A second workstream, GenAI Visibility and Measurement, aims to develop a common framework for assessing earned media impact in an ecosystem increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence.

Technology assessment and standards

The third workstream, The Prototype Lab, will review AI and marketing technology tools currently available to PR practitioners. The group will identify gaps in existing offerings and create a set of quality criteria to help professionals evaluate technology solutions.

The initiative is intended to provide an independent framework for assessing tools in a market characterised by rapid product launches and a growing number of vendor claims.

Deliverables expected by August

Manuel Hüttl, Chair, PRCA Innovation Working Group: "Speed is the new currency in this industry. We built this group around one principle: that the difference between PR agencies that thrive in the AI era and those that struggle will not be determined by who has the best strategy deck. It will be determined by who moves first, builds real capability, and sets the standards before someone else sets them for us. Every member of this group walked in on 6 May with a commitment on the table, a named project, a defined role, and a deadline."

Sarah Waddington, CEO, PRCA: "AI is already reshaping the communications landscape, and our role as an industry body is to ensure PR professionals are equipped not only to respond to that change, but to help shape it responsibly. The Innovation Working Group brings together a broad range of expertise from across the industry to develop practical guidance and support members as client expectations, business models and the wider media environment continue to grow."

www.prca.global

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