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| Colin Hensel |
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how those in the public affairs industry work. From legislative analysis and issue monitoring to message testing and digital targeting, AI tools are becoming embedded in advocacy and communications workflows across Washington and beyond.
But as organizations race to adopt artificial intelligence in public affairs, an important distinction is getting lost: AI is a powerful asset, and when applied intentionally, it can significantly strengthen strategy, but it does not replace it.
In public affairs, success is not defined by speed alone. It is defined by credibility, relationships, and an ability to navigate complex political and media environments with judgment and nuance. AI can certainly enhance that work, but it cannot stand alone without human strategy.
The opportunity in front of our industry is not whether to use AI. It is how to integrate it in ways that strengthen and enhance strategy rather than shortcut it.
The Growing Role of AI in Public Affairs and Advocacy
Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly common tool across public affairs. Its adoption is reshaping how teams manage information, respond to stakeholders, and operate.
There is no denying the operational value AI brings to public affairs. When applied intentionally, it allows teams to move faster, see around corners earlier, and work with greater precision.
How AI Is Being Used in Public Affairs Today
AI tools are already helping public affairs teams:
- Analyze and summarize complex legislation
- Monitor policy developments and emerging issues
- Model grassroots engagement and audience sentiment
- Draft messaging frameworks and rapid‑response materials
- Optimize digital advocacy and paid media targeting
These capabilities are real, and when applied thoughtfully, they can dramatically improve efficiency and preparedness. Research and industry reporting consistently show that AI can help public affairs teams process more information, faster, and identify trends that might otherwise be missed.
Impact comes from pairing that speed with sound strategy and informed decision-making.
Where Strategy Still Leads
Public affairs is not simply about producing content or analyzing data. It is about influencing outcomes in a human system shaped by politics, relationships, and trust.
Public Affairs Is Built on Context, Not Just Information
AI can tell you what is in a bill.
It can identify how a lawmaker has voted in the past.
It can even suggest which arguments are statistically persuasive.
What still requires human judgement is the ability to:
- Read the room in a private meeting on Capitol Hill
- Recognize when hesitation signals political risk, not policy disagreement
- Understand the informal power dynamics that shape decisions behind the scenes
These judgements are developed through experience and context. AI can inform them, sharpen them, and support them, but seasoned public affairs professionals still make the call.
Trust Is the Core Currency of Public Affairs
At its core, public affairs is a trust‑based discipline.
The most effective advocacy campaigns are built on relationships developed over time:
- Reporters who return your call because you have proven reliable
- Coalition partners who trust your leadership under pressure
- Policymakers who believe your data is credible and your motives transparent
AI cannot build or sustain those relationships. It can support the work, but it cannot replace the human credibility that makes advocacy effective.
And at a time when anyone can generate content instantly, that credibility becomes even more important, not less.
The Path Forward
AI is transforming how public affairs work gets done. The firms that will lead in this next chapter for our industry will not be those that resist it nor those that deploy it indiscriminately. They will be the ones that integrate it deliberately.
That means:
- Embedding AI into workflows where it creates measurable client value
- Establishing guardrails around accuracy and transparency
- Training teams to use these tools responsibly and strategically
- Pairing technological capability with experienced judgment and expertise
The goal is not automation for its own sake. It is amplification — allowing public affairs professionals to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on strategy, stakeholder engagement, and informed decision-making.
AI will continue to evolve. The political and media environment will continue to accelerate.
But the fundamentals of public affairs remain constant:
- Strategic judgment.
- Deep expertise.
- Trusted relationships.
Artificial intelligence can make us faster and more informed. But strategy, grounded in expertise and credibility, is what ultimately drives outcomes.
At The Herald Group, we believe the future of public affairs consists of those that pair technological capability with experienced strategy. That’s the approach we’re taking by integrating AI thoughtfully to enhance our work, not replace the fundamentals that make it effective.
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Colin Hensel is Senior Director of Digital, AI Innovation & Analytics at The Herald Group.
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