AI in Comms: The Numbers Every Leader Needs to Know

AI isn’t “coming for comms.” It’s already here — and the data shows the industry is using it faster than it’s preparing for it. Axios HQ and Off the Record surveyed 170+ senior comms pros to understand how teams are adopting AI, what’s working, and where the biggest risks and opportunities lie. Here’s the quick brief.

Go deeper with our webinar: The Ultimate Guide to AI in Comms: 5 Insights from 170+ Comms Pros

1. Adoption is universal — maturity isn’t

Every respondent uses AI for work. 100%.

But only 14% consider themselves “advanced.” Most sit in the large “intermediate” middle: writing, editing, brainstorming, pressure-testing ideas.

What it means: AI is in the workflow whether companies are ready or not. Skills and governance haven’t caught up.

2. Comms pros use AI for strategy more than drafting

The old myth — that AI is just for first drafts — is dead. Comms leaders say their top AI use cases are higher-order thinking:

• 84% use AI for strategy + brainstorming

• 79% for messaging + narrative frameworks

Compare that to: 

• 70% exec comms drafts
• 61% media-facing content
• 59% internal comms

Why it matters: AI isn’t accelerating, not replacing, judgment. 

3. Productivity gains are real. Perception isn’t.

A near-unanimous 93% say AI helps them do their job better. But only 41% say it improves how others perceive their work.

Translation: Comms pros are getting faster, sharper, and more strategic — but not telling the story of how AI is elevating their function.

This is the next frontier: PR for your AI use.

4. Governance is lagging behind behavior

AI use is encouraged at most companies (84%) — but only 50% have any policy or guardrails in place.

Even more striking: 45% of comms pros have already seen AI generate something that could put their brand at risk… yet just 29% feel responsible for creating guardrails.

Takeaway: Comms is closest to brand voice, reputation, and risk. It’s time for the function to lead.

5. Media relations is becoming machine relations

AI models now index earned media directly. Comms pros know it:

• 85% are aware LLMs rely on earned media

• 72% are already changing strategy in response

• 59% prioritize LLM-friendly formats

The shift: You’re no longer pitching just journalists — you’re increasingly pitching the algorithms shaping how people search, learn, and form opinions.

The opportunity

This moment is a career-defining inflection point. The data shows:

• Everyone is using AI

• Few feel confident

• Even fewer are leading

Comms teams that step into strategy, governance, and measurement now will shape not just content — but how organizations adopt, trust, and scale AI across the business.

Go deeper with our webinar: The Ultimate Guide to AI in Comms: 5 Insights from 170+ Comms Pros