AI companies have no shortage of stories to tell. The harder part is finding the story that matters to the people you need to reach.
As AI moves from emerging technology to a common business tool, companies are competing for attention in an increasingly crowded market. Product launches, funding announcements and claims about automation and efficiency can start to sound remarkably similar.
For marketing leaders, the communications challenge is bigger than explaining what the technology does. It’s explaining why it matters, what makes the company different and how AI is changing the industry around it. That is where the right PR partner can make a difference.
An agency should understand more than AI. It should understand the market where the technology is being used, the people making buying decisions and the conversations shaping adoption.
Here is what to look for in an AI PR agency, along with five firms that bring different areas of expertise to the category.
What should an AI company look for in a PR agency?
The strongest AI communications programs bring together three things: technology knowledge, industry context and a clear point of view.
Technology knowledge
An agency does not need to build AI products itself, but it needs to understand how they work and what differentiates them. That means getting beyond phrases like “AI-powered” and “intelligent automation.” A good PR partner should be able to explain the technology in plain language and connect it to a customer problem or business outcome.
The goal is not to make a technical story less technical. It is to make the important parts understandable and relevant.
Industry context
AI does not operate in a vacuum. The questions surrounding AI depend on the industry adopting it. For a manufacturer, the conversation might center on automation, productivity, workforce challenges or quality. In automotive, it could involve vehicle technology, mobility or the aftermarket. In cybersecurity, security, governance and risk may be central.
An agency that understands the industry can help identify which AI stories are actually meaningful to customers, reporters and other audiences.
A point of view
AI companies have plenty of opportunities to announce what they are doing. The more difficult task is giving people a reason to care about what the company thinks.
Strong communications programs help executives develop perspectives on where their industry is headed, what businesses are getting wrong and what changes are likely to matter next. Those ideas can fuel media opportunities, executive thought leadership, original research, events and content well beyond a product launch.
How does PR help AI companies build visibility?
PR can help AI companies build credibility by putting their expertise into the conversations their audiences are already having.
That can look like:
- Media relations: Connecting experts with reporters covering AI and the industries adopting it.
- Executive thought leadership: Developing a clear perspective on trends and issues affecting the market.
- Original research: Turning proprietary data into newsworthy insights.
- Customer storytelling: Showing how AI is being applied in real-world environments.
- Content: Extending key ideas across websites, social channels, events and other owned platforms.
These efforts can also support visibility in AI-powered search.
When people use conversational search tools to research a company, technology or industry question, those systems draw from information available across the web. A company’s third-party coverage, expert commentary, research and owned content can all contribute to the body of information available about its expertise. That makes credibility and specificity increasingly important, whether the audience is a journalist, buyer or AI search tool.
Five AI PR agencies to consider
There is no single PR agency that is the right fit for every AI company. The right partner depends on the company’s market, audience, stage and communications goals. These five firms offer different areas of expertise.
Airfoil Group
Airfoil is an integrated PR and marketing agency based in Detroit, with experience across B2B technology, automotive, mobility, manufacturing and other industrial markets. That combination of technology and industry expertise is particularly relevant for AI companies whose technology is being applied to the physical world.
AI is changing how manufacturers operate, how vehicles are developed and maintained, how supply chains function and how businesses approach automation. Telling those stories requires an understanding of both the technology and the industries adopting it.
Areas of focus: B2B technology, automotive and mobility, advanced manufacturing, industrial markets and logistics.
A potential fit for: AI companies operating in manufacturing, automotive, mobility, industrial technology and other specialized B2B markets.
Corporate Ink
Corporate Ink focuses on B2B technology companies, with experience across generative AI, agentic AI, data centers, cybersecurity, supply chain, fintech and manufacturing. The agency combines media relations with thought leadership, research, customer storytelling and other programs designed to build visibility among enterprise audiences.
Areas of focus: AI, enterprise technology, cybersecurity, supply chain and logistics, fintech, data centers and manufacturing.
A potential fit for: High-growth B2B AI and technology companies selling to enterprise decision-makers.
RH Strategic
RH Strategic combines technology communications with public affairs and policy expertise. That can be relevant for AI companies operating in markets where regulation, government policy or public-sector relationships are closely connected to business strategy.
Areas of focus: AI, cybersecurity, data and analytics, technology policy and public affairs.
A potential fit for: Companies whose communications programs have significant policy, regulatory or government-relations considerations.
FINN Partners
FINN Partners brings a broad technology communications practice to AI, with expertise spanning AI/ML, agentic AI, enterprise software, cybersecurity, manufacturing, robotics and supply chain and logistics. The agency works with companies ranging from startups to global technology brands. FINN also has a dedicated AI offering that includes GEO, AI consulting and proprietary AI tools for communications and reputation management.
Areas of focus: AI/ML, agentic AI, enterprise technology, cybersecurity, manufacturing, robotics and supply chain.
A potential fit for: Technology companies looking for a global communications partner with dedicated AI capabilities and expertise in emerging search and GEO.
PAN Communications
PAN is a B2B technology agency that connects public relations with content, demand generation, creative and AI optimization through what it calls a brand-to-demand approach. Its technology practice includes artificial intelligence, cloud and DevOps, cybersecurity, commerce and CX, HR technology, and supply chain and logistics. AI is also a significant part of PAN’s current offering.
Areas of focus: B2B technology, AI, cybersecurity, cloud and DevOps, supply chain and logistics, content, demand generation and AI optimization.
A potential fit for: B2B technology and AI companies looking to connect PR and brand building with broader marketing and demand-generation efforts.
| Agency | Primary focus | Relevant AI / technology areas | Potential fit |
| Corporate Ink | B2B technology and enterprise communications | AI, cybersecurity, supply chain, fintech, manufacturing, enterprise technology | High-growth AI and technology companies building enterprise awareness |
| Airfoil | Technology communications across physical industries | AI applications, manufacturing, automotive, mobility, industrial technology, logistics | AI companies bringing technology into industrial and physical markets |
| RH Strategic | Technology communications and public affairs | AI, cybersecurity, data, technology policy, regulation | AI companies navigating policy, regulatory or government issues |
| FINN Partners | Global technology communications | AI/ML, enterprise technology, cybersecurity, manufacturing, robotics, supply chain | Technology companies looking for broad global communications and AI expertise |
| PAN | B2B technology, brand-to-demand and integrated marketing | AI, cybersecurity, cloud, DevOps, supply chain, AI optimization | B2B AI and technology companies connecting brand visibility with demand generation |
AI isn’t the story. What AI changes is the story.
At Airfoil, we approach AI communications through the lens of context—the technology matters, but context is what makes it relevant.
For an automotive company, that might mean exploring how AI is changing vehicle development, diagnostics or service in the aftermarket. For a manufacturer, it could mean productivity, automation or the workforce. For a B2B technology company, it might mean how AI is changing infrastructure, security or the customer experience. Our job is to find the bigger story inside the technology.
Connecting PR, content and GEO
A good idea should not live in only one channel. An executive’s perspective might begin as a media pitch, become a contributed article, inform a LinkedIn post and eventually become part of a larger content or research program.
That connected approach is increasingly important as people use AI-powered search to research companies, technologies and industries. GEO is not a replacement for PR. It is another reason to create content and communications that are useful, specific and credible.
For AI companies, that means building a digital footprint that demonstrates expertise rather than simply repeating product messaging.
How do you choose the right AI PR agency?
Start with the audience you need to reach, not the agency’s size or client list. When evaluating potential partners, be sure to ask the right questions:
Do you understand our technology?
Can the team explain what the product does and why it is different?
Do you understand our industry?
Does the agency know the customers, media and issues shaping the market?
Can you reach the people who matter?
Does the agency have relationships with the publications and influencers that reach your buyers and industry stakeholders?
Can you develop a point of view?
Can the team help executives contribute something meaningful to conversations beyond product news?
Can you turn expertise into multiple opportunities?
Can one idea become media coverage, thought leadership, social content, research or an event?
Do you understand GEO?
Can the agency help build the credible, specific digital presence that supports visibility in AI-powered search?
Ultimately, an effective AI PR partner should connect three things: what your technology does, why your market should care and what you want the market to understand about your company.
Because AI may be the technology, but the business change it creates is the story. Looking for a partner to help you get started? Reach out to Airfoil Group today.
