The rise of AI, earned media, and emerging platforms is redefining how reputation is built and where influence truly lives. That shift is already top of mind for Sean Layton, Executive Vice President of Earned Media at Zeno Group, who sees AI accelerating long-standing trends while also reshaping the media ecosystem. “We just released our early 2026 media landscape report, where we talk a lot about how it's going to be a huge year for AI, and it's going to impact brand and corporate reputation in ways that we're only just starting to see,” Sean said. From an earned media standpoint, AI is becoming a primary driver of visibility and credibility. Sean pointed to the growing role of earned coverage in AI-generated search results. “There are statistics about how 85% of GEO results or AI search engine results come from earned media sources,” he said. “And to be honest with you, we're seeing that number increase dramatically.”

While legacy outlets like Reuters, CNN, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal remain influential, Sean emphasized that opportunity lies in how emerging platforms are being elevated by AI systems. “The really interesting thing for me is how emerging media is coming into the fold,” he said. “Places like LinkedIn and Medium.com have taken on such a new importance and open up so many opportunities for brands, companies, and people.” That shift is forcing agencies and brands to rethink how they approach earned media strategy, focusing on data. “For me and the folks at Zeno, it really starts and ends with data,” Sean said. “We really want to look at specific citations and prompts, whether it's branded or unbranded prompts, and just look at how those are really shaping the conversation around a topic or a thing that a brand or corporation can really own the narrative around.” Beyond top-tier outlets, Sean said international trade media and niche publications are increasingly shaping AI-generated answers. Video is also playing a growing role in how AI engines source and surface information.

News is increasingly reaching audiences through podcasts, streaming, and emerging platforms. “There has been some conversation in the past couple of weeks about, are we in the post-news era? I don’t believe that,” he said. “I just think people are going to different sources and places for their news than ever before.” One of the examples is podcasting, which is evolving from long-form commentary into a breaking news channel. “One of the big trends that we're seeing at Zeno is podcast really shifting from a more evergreen, long-form vertical to being something that is a breaking news driver,” he said. As legacy media organizations adapt, embracing streaming, reposting broadcast clips on YouTube, and feeding web stories into AI systems, Sean believes opportunity outweighs disruption. “I firmly believe that there's more opportunity than ever for storytelling,” he said, pointing to platforms like Substack, Medium and Reddit as part of that expanding mix.

Even as AI accelerates change, the fundamentals of the PR business remain intact. “At the end of the day, I think ultimately we are in a relationships business,” he said. “And I think now more than ever, the relationships we have count.” AI should enhance, not replace human judgment. “It’s something that needs to always have a human in the loop,” he said. “And I think that that's the most important part of AI to be able to harness it to its full potential while still delivering great work.”

Looking ahead, Sean’s message to communicators is strategic. “I think AI is just going to continue to shapeshift and transform what we do in new ways that we haven't thought possible,” he said. “The implication for brands, company and people is really taking a look at what is actually informing these AI engines, to tell earned media stories that work harder for you is going to be super important in 2026.”

View all of the interviews in the “PR's Top Pros Talk” series. Interested in taking part? Contact Doug Simon at [email protected].

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Josh Moed is a Marketing Specialist at D S Simon Media, a leading firm specializing in satellite media tours.