Guests

Rupert — AI persona created by Joe Carreon

Student Interviewers: Toma Battino, Joe Carreon

Host: Fred Cook, Director, USC Center for Public Relations

Discussion Breakdown

Introducing Rupert — 0:00

How AI Is Impacting PR — 0:45

Will AI Replace Entry-Level Jobs? — 1:40

Who’s Adopting AI Faster — Young or Experienced Pros? — 3:06

Passion Projects & Standing Out in PR — 4:20

GEO (Generative Engineered Optimization) Explained — 5:10

Authenticity, AI, and the Fight Against Polarization — 6:39

AI Search vs. Google Search — 7:30

What Tools PR Students Should Know — 7:55

Crisis Communications in an AI World — 9:15

Ethics, Consent & Using Likeness in AI Content — 13:30

Should You Disclose When You Use AI? — 14:55

Common Blind Spots in AI Usage — 15:40

Accuracy & Where AI Gets Its Information — 16:31

How PR Shapes the Information AI Pulls From — 17:46

Managing Brand Reputation in the Age of AI — 17:58

How AI Perceives USC Annenberg — 18:50

What Professors Should Teach About AI — 19:13

What Rupert Looks For in New PR Hires — 20:20

Where AI Is Going in the Next 2–3 Years — 21:40

Should We Be Scared or Excited? — 22:07

Closing & Fight On — 22:53

Key Insights1. AI Won’t Replace PR — It Will Redefine It

Rupert positions AI as a shift, not a takeover. Routine tasks will be automated, but strategy, creativity, and relationships remain uniquely human. Entry-level roles will evolve, not disappear.

2. PR Professionals Must Build “AI Visibility”

With people turning to AI for search, GEO becomes essential. Communicators will need to create content that AI can understand, trust, and surface — marking a new era of “authentic earned media.”

3. AI Can Support, Not Substitute, Crisis Communications

Rupert identifies monitoring, rapid analysis, and early messaging as AI’s strengths in crises — but empathy, accountability, and credibility must come from humans.

4. Ethical Use of Likeness & Transparency Matter

Students challenge Rupert about consent, deepfakes, and whether creators should disclose AI involvement. Rupert stresses transparent use (for now) and careful respect for identity and likeness.

5. AI Literacy Is Now a Resume Essential

From media monitoring to analytics to content drafting, students entering PR need demonstrable experience with:

AI writing tools

Social analytics software

Media monitoring platforms

Data interpretation & ethical judgment

6. Future AI Will Be Predictive, Personalized, and Creative

Rupert envisions AI that:

Adapts messaging in real time

Predicts PR issues before they surface

Assists with brainstorming and strategic planning

Engages audiences in one-to-one communication at scale

Production Credits

A production of the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California.

Host: Fred Cook
Executive Producer: Ron Antonette

Season 7 Producers: Joe Carreon and Anvi Mahajan
Production: Camille Culbertson, Jack Gisler, Toma Battino
Editorial: Joey Cha, Ivan Feng, Natalie Lopez, Grace An, Emmy Snyder
Social Content: Angelina Tran, Hailey Evans
Growth: Van Luu, Shaan Dhaliwal

Links

Follow the USC Center for PR (@usccenterforpr) on Instagram and LinkedIn. 
Follow Fred Cook on LinkedIn. 
Find all our reports at annenberg.usc.edu/cpr.

Download the 2025 Relevance Report at

 annenberg.usc.edu/relevance