In my May column for PRmoment MENA, I argue that PR needs a new skill: prompt intelligence. The classic questions still matter. What are we saying, to whom and through which channels? However, there is now one more question to ask before any campaign begins. What will our audience ask AI, and what would make our brand part of the answer?
What prompt intelligence means
Prompt intelligence is not about writing for machines. Instead, it means anticipating the questions people put to AI tools when they compare and choose. It also means making sure the evidence that answers them is easy to find.
Take a law firm announcing a new M&A partner, or an education group launching a new programme. In both cases, the proof points matter most: the deal record, the curriculum, the partnerships. They need to be clear to journalists and AI alike. A spokesperson quote full of vague claims will not do that job.
Why it changes how PR measures success
Prompt intelligence shifts the question PR teams ask. It is no longer only whether the message landed. Instead, it is which questions the brand needs to be the answer to. And that covers a whole category, not a single keyword.
For example, a hotel does not only want to appear when someone searches for its name. It wants to appear when a guest asks AI for the best spa hotel in the city.
How to start
First, list the questions your customers are likely to ask AI. Next, check which brands AI already recommends in response. Then build your PR around the evidence that would put your brand in those answers.
The good news for comms teams is that earned media still does the heavy lifting. Most AI citations come from earned sources. As a result, one clear, factual paragraph can sit comfortably alongside strong storytelling.
The same thinking sits behind my method and the AI visibility audits I run for agencies and their clients.
Read the full article on PRmoment MENA: Why PR’s next critical skill is ‘Prompt Intelligence’
