Richard Chapman.
Richard Chapman, Managing Director – Bastion Communications
Australia’s media landscape is in its biggest upheaval since digital. Newsrooms are converging, algorithms now decide what gets seen, and generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are fast becoming the first place Australians turn for information.
For decades, organisations have relied on PR to build reputation, earn credibility, and secure media coverage - but AI is changing the game. Generative AI is creating a new frontier of discoverability where content surfaced to users is driven by what journalists publish, not what brands pay for because it favours third-party validation. If your brand, your ideas, or your thought leadership aren’t newsworthy, AI won’t see you. If AI can’t see you, your customers, key stakeholders and investors won’t either.
This marks a profound shift for Australian businesses and marketers. In the AI era, earned media is no longer one part of the communications mix - it needs to be the foundation for visibility. Think of it like an operating system for building authority and credibility. What large language models scrape, surface and quote are not paid campaigns, but independently verified media coverage and thought leadership pieces. If your stories aren’t being told by journalists, they won’t be cited in AI-generated answers.
Any organisation reducing its PR investment today risks being locked out of the information platforms that Australians are increasingly turning to for decision-making. Business leaders and marketers must work even more closely with their PR teams to ensure the stories being scraped into AI models accurately represent who they are and what they stand for.
For brands, this means prioritising independent news coverage, thought leadership pieces, data-led storytelling, expert commentary and industry-specific insights. It means considering how your owned content can be amplified in earned channels.
These are the building blocks of AI visibility. If your competitors are securing these placements and you aren’t, they will become the “default answer” inside AI tools not because they paid for it, but because the algorithm believes them to be more credible and authoritative.
There is also a critical reputational flip side. A single poorly phrased quote or mishandled interview can now live forever in AI databases, resurfacing unexpectedly and out of context. Negative stories risk being recirculated indefinitely. In this environment, digital reputation management, media training and key messaging workshops are no longer optional, they are essential risk-management tools.
The rise of AI requires a fundamental rethink of how marketing budgets are allocated. Visibility in generative AI outputs will soon matter more than traditional SEO rankings because Australians increasingly expect answers, not links. As AI becomes embedded in search, apps, workplaces, schools and homes, the organisations absent from AI-driven outputs will struggle to remain part of the public conversation.
This shift demands new metrics and measurement standards. Businesses will need to understand not only how many people see their stories, but how AI systems ingest and resurface their narratives. Advertising pioneer, John Wanamaker’s famous frustration - “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half” - takes on new meaning in an era where algorithms decide what becomes visible and what gets ignored.
The lesson from history is clear. Companies that fail to adapt to technological disruption rarely recover. Brands that ignore the impact of AI on reputation and visibility face the same fate - scrambling to catch up or fading into irrelevance.
PR isn’t a switch you flick on; it is a long-term play that requires a strategy to build stronger brands, foster trust and protect reputations. A well thought out media relations strategy, consistent thought leadership and influence is the most effective way to boost a brands visibility.
The future of discoverability belongs to the brands that invest in real storytelling, credible journalism, and consistent earned visibility. In the age of AI, PR isn’t just shaping reputation - it’s determining whether you’re found at all.