PR Challenges in the AI Boom: Why It’s Getting Harder for “Normal” Tech Companies – and How You Can Still Break Through
Artificial intelligence is everywhere. Almost daily you read about new tools, spectacular breakthroughs, or billion-dollar investments. The big tech giants – the “Magnificent 7” – dominate the headlines and set the tone. At the same time, new start-ups are popping up like mushrooms, especially those in “sexy” fields like consumer AI, image generators, or apps that immediately create visual and emotional impact.
Normal tech companies – whether established players or B2B-focused start-ups – quickly fall behind. Your innovation may even be more relevant than the next hype, but breaking into the public conversation is incredibly difficult.
The Communication Problem in the AI Era
The real problem isn’t a lack of media channels. Quite the opposite: it’s information overload. Journalists, investors, customers – they’re all bombarded daily with AI news. Today, attention is the scarcest resource.
On top of that:
- Big Tech dominates the headlines with money and marketing budgets.
- Consumer start-ups win attention with topics that are easy to explain and deliver eye-catching visuals.
If, by contrast, you explain how your API, SaaS platform, or security tool for cloud architectures helps companies become more sustainable and efficient – that’s extremely valuable, but often harder to tell as a story.
Challenges for Tech Companies
- Complexity: Your topics often require more explanation and don’t fit into a snappy headline.
- Imbalance: While Big Tech spends billions on marketing, you might be working with a small PR budget.
- Comparability: Saying “we also do something with AI” isn’t enough. That worked two years ago – today, you’ll drown in the crowd.
- Sexy vs. Substance: Consumer AI and visual applications simply look better on Instagram than your B2B use case.
Strategies to Break Through the Noise
1. Positioning & Storytelling
Instead of putting your product front and center, tell the bigger story: Why does the world need your solution? What problem are you really solving for your audience? Position yourself as a thought leader, not just a provider.
Your company needs a face and a voice. I recommend making your CEO or founders clearly visible as experts. Public recognition of their expertise is the foundation. In my experience, however, you only make real headlines once they take the step from thought leader to opinion leader. That requires bold opinions – but that’s exactly what creates relevance.
2. Niches Instead of Mainstream
Headlines in the big business and tech media are often locked up. But in trade media, niche communities, industry podcasts, and on LinkedIn, there’s room for your story – and that’s where you reach the people who really matter.
For me, combining content marketing with lead generation campaigns on LinkedIn has proven extremely effective. Nowhere else can you target decision-makers and potential B2B customers so precisely. Creativity pays off here – tailor content to the specific needs of your audience.
3. Owned Media & Content Hub
Build your own stage: blog, newsletter, whitepapers. Share knowledge, not just product updates. That way you’ll stay visible long term, independent of the daily news cycle. SEO helps you get found – even when the next AI hype rolls through.
Pro tip: Don’t just think in keywords, but in topic clusters and geo-targeting. This helps you reach the right people exactly when and where they’re searching for solutions.
4. Partnerships & Networks
It’s hard to go it alone. Collaboration makes it easier. Partner events, associations, joint studies with other companies – all of these can give you reach you’d never achieve on your own.
As a PR professional, I schedule meetings with journalists and influencers ahead of events. I use the opportunity to start conversations, nurture relationships, and directly line up interviews. For the media, that means fresh quotes straight from the event – and for your company, real visibility.
5. Modernize Your PR Approach
Don’t rely only on the standard press release. Focus on:
- Data-driven stories (e.g., studies, reports, market trends).
- Journalist-friendly hooks instead of product features.
- Speed: React to trending topics before the hype is over.
I recommend using tools like social listening and AI-driven media analysis to quickly identify trends and insert your story directly into ongoing debates.
6. Quality Over Quantity
In times of content overload, my advice is: quality beats quantity. Invest time and effort into content that delivers real value – such as exclusive analyses or insights only your company can provide, based on your own data.
Equally important: Take the time to understand what a journalist is currently working on and tailor your pitch exactly to that. Irrelevance poisons the relationship – and PR is all about relationships.
Yes, this takes time. But you can save a lot of time in less strategic areas with AI tools today. This combination – focus on depth, supported by smart efficiency – is, in my view, the key.
Why Experienced Experts Are Needed
PR today isn’t a “side job.” It’s not enough to post a few times on LinkedIn or send out one press release.
In my experience, many companies fail because they underestimate the importance of professional communication. It’s not just about being visible somehow – it’s about being visibly relevant. That’s a crucial difference.
An experienced PR professional understands your business, translates your topics into stories that truly interest the media, and builds trust – both with journalists and your target audience.
For me, that means listening, digging deeper, finding the real story behind the technology – and telling it in a way that resonates. Good PR is not magic. It’s craftsmanship, experience, and a lot of relationship work.
Conclusion
The AI boom makes visibility harder. But not impossible. With clear positioning, smart storytelling, and professional PR, you can stand out even in the shadow of Big Tech and “sexy” consumer start-ups.
👉 If you feel like your voice is getting lost in the AI noise, let’s talk. I bring 25 years of tech PR experience and have helped countless companies stand out from the crowd. Whether it’s about turning your CEO into an opinion leader, sharpening your story for journalists, or boosting your visibility on LinkedIn – that’s exactly what I do.
I’m your freelance expert for PR and communications – and together we’ll make sure your story gets heard where it matters.
