AI: A Double-Edged Sword for PR Pros and the Planet

In public relations, AI tools like ChatGPT and media monitoring platforms, have become indispensable for organizing workflows, generating content, and analyzing trends. They offer unmatched speed in producing drafts, summarizing data, and scheduling posts. However, beneath this convenience lies a major downside: AI’s hidden environmental and social costs.

The Hidden Water Cost

Most people don’t realize AI runs on massive data centers that consume enormous amounts of fresh water to cool their servers. Li et al. (2023) estimate that training a model like GPT‑3 used about 700,000 liters of water, and even everyday queries can use up to half a liter each. Another study projects that AI could consume 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water annually by 2027, surpassing the water use of some entire countries (Ren et al., 2023). As PR professionals use AI tools more frequently, especially in content generation and planning, this environmental impact must be considered.

Job Risk vs. Opportunity

Generative AI is also automating tasks traditionally done by PR workers, such as writing news releases and analyzing campaign feedback. According to The Times (2025), one in four workers fears their job may be replaced by AI. The same article notes predictions that up to 50% of white-collar jobs could be automated in the next five years.

However, not all news is bad. PwC (2025) found that employees who learn to work with AI earn wages that grow almost twice as fast as those who don’t. In this way, AI is not just a threat; it’s a tool that can help professionals level up if they adapt early.

Why Regulation Matters

The environmental impact and workplace changes caused by AI call for strong regulation. For example:

• Governments could enforce transparency about energy and water usage per prompt.

• Companies might receive incentives to build green data centers that recycle water.

• Policies could require employers to offer AI training to reduce job loss and help workers reskill.

Several major tech companies like Microsoft and Google have already promised to go “water-positive” by 2030 (OECD, 2023), but voluntary promises aren’t enough. Policy and reporting standards need to be strengthened to protect both the environment and the workforce.

📝 A Call to PR Action

As public relations professionals, we have a responsibility to use AI tools thoughtfully. Here are a few ways we can take action:

1. Track AI usage – Know which tools you're using and how often.

2. Push for transparency – Ask clients and tech partners to share energy and water data.

3. Balance automation and human work – Don’t rely entirely on AI for planning or decision-making.

4. Educate others – Use your role to raise awareness about AI’s impacts.

   
   
   
   

Conclusion

AI is changing public relations—making it faster, more organized, and more data-driven. But its hidden costs can’t be ignored. From water use to job loss, we must stay ahead of the curve by learning how to use AI responsibly and advocating for transparency and sustainability in its development. By doing so, we can ensure AI becomes a support system, not a substitute for what PR does best: human connection.

References

Li, P., Yang, J., Islam, M. A., & Ren, S. (2023). Making AI less “thirsty”: Uncovering and addressing the secret water footprint of AI models. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.03271

Ren, S., Li, P., Islam, M. A., & Yang, J. (2023). AI’s challenging waters. University of California, Riverside. https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2023/04/28/ais-challenging-waters

The Times. (2025). One in four workers fear AI will take their job. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/one-in-four-workers-fear-that-ai-will-take-their-job-fcbx63bbc

PwC. (2025). The fearless future: 2025 Global AI jobs barometer. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/artificial-intelligence/ai-jobs-barometer.html

OECD. (2023). How much water does AI consume? https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/how-much-water-does-ai-consume