At most PR firms, interns and junior staff used to build media lists, draft initial coverage emails, and learn by doing. But with generative AI accelerating productivity and automating administrative work, those entry points are disappearing fast.
In this episode of The Disruption Is Now, host Greg Matusky talks with Andrea Gils Monzón, CEO and Founder of Shiftmakers Agency, about what happens next, both for aspiring communicators and the senior professionals who are also adapting to new workflows. Ultimately it requires a change in mindset and skills.
Andrea, who blends a traditional PR background with deep technical chops, offers a rare perspective on how AI is reshaping career paths, workflow design, and even the soul of the industry.
Watch now:
Key takeaways
AI is rewriting the PR career ladder from the bottom up
Entry-level roles like interns and junior associates are being automated out of existence, Andrea warns.
Tasks once considered stepping stones — drafting press releases, building media lists, writing social posts — can now be done faster and sometimes better by machines.
That leaves a pressing question: Where will the next generation learn the taste and judgment that come from doing the grunt work? Firms that don’t address this risk could end up with a leadership vacuum in a few years.
The AI advantage belongs to the strategist, not the tactician
Andrea argues that the future of communications belongs to those who know how to think, not just those who know how to do.
AI is turning execution into a commodity, which elevates the value of strategic thinkers who can connect dots, understand audiences, and build narratives that actually move the needle.
Those who can combine human insight with technical fluency will be the ones reimagining what PR looks like.
Media databases may not survive the AI era
Legacy platforms like Cision and Muck Rack are at risk, Greg says, both because AI can now generate custom media lists on the fly, and because these companies haven’t adapted to how communicators actually work.
AI tools can already scrape and summarize media coverage based on custom parameters. What’s missing is integration into real-world workflows.
The real threat isn’t AI, it’s complacency
Andrea and Greg agree that AI won’t eliminate communicators, but it will eliminate those who don’t evolve.
Andrea notes how few professionals are taking the time to deeply understand the tools. Many treat AI outputs as “good enough,” which reveals a lack of curiosity and critical thinking. What separates experts from everyone else won’t be age or title, but mindset.
AI lets communicators finally build better systems
One of the biggest missed opportunities in PR has been workflow redesign. Greg outlines how generative AI enables a complete rethink, from streamlining executive quotes to creating crisis communications platforms like his firm’s new CrisisCalm tool.
It’s about delivering more value faster. For communicators willing to question assumptions and rebuild from scratch, AI is a lever, not a threat.
Key Moments in the Conversation
- Andrea’s first introduction to AI (5:58)
- Why Andrea worried AI might hurt small businesses and solo PR pros (7:18)
- How generative AI reinvigorated Greg’s career (9:40)
- How AI taught Andrea Python and automation skills (12:14)
- What PR tasks will AI eliminate? (15:55)
- Why PR must stop iterating on candles and build light bulbs (18:44)
- Why AI should replace crisis manuals (20:40)
- AI creates demand, not just productivity (25:00)
- Why bifurcation is coming for PR roles (29:03)
