PR is back, and this time it’s supercharged by AI

In the tech world, where product is king and engineering talent is gold, PR often gets treated like the shiny extra you invest in once you’ve raised your Series A. Or worse, it’s seen as a vanity play. Headlines with no real impact.

But here’s the thing. PR has always been a powerful differentiator, especially at an early stage. It builds authoritativeness. It builds credibility. And now, it’s playing an even more central role in shaping how startups are found, ranked and validated in AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.

PR isn’t just press. Its presence.

Let’s move beyond the idea that PR is just about getting press. Good PR today is about building your footprint across the web in a way that gives your company authority, visibility and lasting discoverability.

With the rise of generative AI tools, the information that trains and feeds LLMs (Large Language Models) is increasingly pulled from trusted, indexed content. Think online media footprint, well-structured founder interviews and expert quotes in reputable outlets. When Gemini or ChatGPT is prompted with “Best European AI startups” or “top sustainable mobility solutions in France”, you want your company to show up. Not because you’ve gamed SEO, but because you’ve earned your place in the conversation.

And how do you earn that place? Strategic, smart and consistent PR. You don’t need to make it to the front page of the Financial Times. But building a trace in the media, even if you start small, can and will continue to be game-changing.

AI is the new search. PR is your ranking engine.

When we speak with founders and even VCs, we still hear the same objection. “Not sure PR is a priority right now. We need to focus on product and runway.” And while those priorities are absolutely valid, you’re leaving serious visibility on the table by not building public-facing authority alongside them.

AI tools are quickly becoming the new discovery layer. People aren’t just Googling anymore. They’re prompting ChatGPT or Perplexity to shortlist vendors, tools and partners. They’re asking for product comparisons, ecosystem insights and startup maps. The content that surfaces is not from ads. It’s from indexed, high-authority, earned media. In other words, the output of good PR.

Momentum begets momentum.

There’s a compounding effect that smart startups understand. PR builds momentum. Momentum builds credibility. And that credibility accelerates everything else. Talent acquisition, fundraising, business development and yes, discoverability in AI-driven environments.

We saw this firsthand with Sorare. From Day 1, we launched them in multiple markets. We pushed their Seed announcement across key European regions where grassroots communities were already growing. That early media footprint helped position them as a global player before they even scaled. Later, when SoftBank came on board and names like Mbappé and Serena Williams joined, the foundations were already there to amplify the story tenfold.

Founders, take note.

If you’re building in stealth, that’s fine. But if you’re already in-market and your product is live, even if you’re pre-Series A, don’t underestimate the power of visibility. Don’t wait until the “right moment” to start investing in PR. That moment is now. The cost of invisibility is rising.

Your competitors are getting indexed. Their narratives are training the AI models your future customers are using. If you’re not in that dataset, you’re not in the conversation. Period.

Final thought

In 2025, PR isn’t just about buzz. It’s about presence. Strategic PR puts your startup in the right publications, conversations and knowledge graphs. It makes your voice part of the dataset that AI tools surface and amplify. It builds trust at scale.

If you’ve been hesitant to invest, I get it. Budgets are tight. But in this new era of AI discoverability, PR can move the needle in ways few other levers can. Especially for startups looking to punch above their weight.

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