 |
PAN releases new original research showing that a significant share of B2B citations surfaced by ChatGPT are inaccurate, misattributed or entirely fabricated, introducing a new credibility risk for brands. The agency analyzed more than 11,000 links generated by ChatGPT across executive-level research prompts, originated as a part of its C-Suite Signals research program. Each citation was reviewed and classified as: real and correctly attributed, misattributed or fully hallucinated. Only 69 percent were both real and correctly attributed, while 19 percent pointed to incorrect sources/domains and 12 percent referenced sources that did not exist at all. The agency says these findings show that AI systems still frequently imply legitimacy through citations that appear authoritative on the surface, even when the underlying sources cannot be verified. As a result, perceived credibility can be created — or undermined — without brands having any direct visibility into how those references are formed.
 |
REQ, which works with clients in the technology, healthcare, real estate and financial services sectors, opens an office in Phoenix. The agency also has offices in Washington, DC and San Diego. The Phoenix-based team joins REQ as part of a realignment within their joint parent company, Agital, providing local expertise at a moment when Arizona is attracting investment across microelectronics, energy, AI and next-generation development. It adds on-the-ground expertise in utilities, healthcare, real estate development nonprofit initiatives, and community-based experiential PR, sectors that are key to the region’s overall growth. “We’ve built strong relationships with clients and media across Phoenix and the Southwest, and that foundation allows us to deliver thoughtful, high-touch PR services across a wide range of industries,” said Brian O’Malley, Phoenix-based vice president of public relations at REQ.
 |
Notified introduces Market Intelligence, an addition to its all-in-one IR Hub, which gives investor relations teams a more streamlined way to prepare for earnings calls. The first phase of Market Intelligence, available now to IR clients who wish to become early adopters, delivers instant access to publicly available earnings call transcripts. Capabilities including earnings summaries, Q&A analysis, trending market topics, analyst insights and sentiment analysis, will be added soon. Notified also offers access to an AI-powered IR Assistant to provide a chatbot-based experience purpose-built for IR professionals – all within a secure, closed environment. Bringing together expansive market data and AI-driven analysis directly within IR Hub, teams can centralize due diligence, anticipate investor questions, monitor peer activity and strengthen stakeholder engagement from a single platform.
Ruder Finn launches rf.Voices, an integrated influence offering that brings together AI-powered influencer marketing, customer advocacy and paid amplification under one measurable framework... The Pollack Group is accepting applications through March 31 for The Big Red Grant, a $40,000 pro bono strategic PR and marketing engagement program awarded to a nonprofit organization ready for growth... D S Simon Media releases a report that says almost seven in ten producers (68 percent) are more interested in airing a story when they know it has been optimized for AI.
Precision Strategies, an integrated strategy and marketing agency with offices in Washington and New York, acquires Firehouse Strategies, a DC-based public affairs firm... AVENIR GLOBAL acquires London-based Thinks Insight & Strategy... Good Company, which bills itself as a “cultural engineering firm,” is launched by DJ Hardy, a veteran of Johannesburg-based communications consultancy arxna and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and Casey Stickles, who has worked at 5WPR, Rubenstein and MWW.
PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications) acquires Nonprofit Partners... CG Life launches 24/364, a cultural brand platform intended to drive awareness, connection and action aimed at keeping rare disease at the forefront of the health and social conversation... Interluxe Group, which focuses on brand experiences and in-person activations; Quinn, a strategic communications agency; and media and digital agency North & Warren are uniting under the Interluxe Group banner.
KITH, which provides corporate reputation and crisis preparation services, is now owned by CEO Stephanie Craig, who has been with the firm since 2021... The Marketing Cloud, a part of Stagwell, introduces several expansions to Agent Cloud, the platform it launched in October 2025 to simplify access to its AI tools and marketing assistants.... Notified launches its AI Press Release Optimizer.
V2 Communications launches its AI Visibility Solution and Earned Media at Scale, two service offerings designed to help companies increase visibility and credibility in generative search... The Public Relations Global Network brings on Greenough Communications as its Boston member agency... DBC is relaunching The DBC Industry Calendar as a free site to help communicators more easily discover relevant events and awards in the cluttered event landscape driven by the growth of webinars and online events. 
