Summary of the Key Points
This article discusses how the once-booming era of public relations (PR) for major internet companies is quietly coming to an end. There are fewer press conferences, less PR activity, and fewer media requests, as the internet industry has transformed from a growth market into a traditional one. However, this is not the end but a transformation. As these companies shift towards AI, the approach to PR and media has changed; professionals now need to understand technology and be able to explain the logic of AI. Additionally, hardware companies (such as ChangXin and Cambricon) will become new sources of PR demand in the future. Internet PR professionals are also moving into fields like AI and renewable energy. Traditional media workers who do not adapt will face a survival crisis.
1. Why is internet PR less active?
In the past, the internet was a growth market, where companies needed to create compelling stories (e.g., “disrupting industries” or “changing lives”) to attract users, raise funds, and expand their presence. But now things have changed:
- Market saturation: The 2025 local lifestyle competition will be the last major battle; after that, companies will realize they can no longer gain new users (for example, since people already use platforms like Taobao and JD.com, there’s no need to download new shopping apps). Therefore, events like 618 and Double 11 are becoming less significant, and there’s no need to spend a lot on PR.
- Industry transformation: The internet has evolved from an emerging sector to a fundamental part of daily life (like utilities), so it no longer relies on stories to attract attention.
- PR has less to do: PR teams that were previously extremely busy now have more leisure time, as there are fewer press conferences and trends to manage.
2. How to do PR in the AI era?
In the AI era, the approach to PR and media must change:
- Translate technology: Behind AI are complex models (e.g., Alibaba Cloud’s Qianwen and ByteDance’s DouBao). These need to be explained in language that non-technical people can understand—explaining model parameters to programmers, business value to investors, and strategic significance to executives. Since the products are already good enough (often affordable), simple marketing efforts are sufficient.
- Combine grand narratives with evaluations: PR should not only focus on user growth but also highlight a company’s position in the AI industry (e.g., “China’s top AI players”) and compare products based on their capabilities (e.g., “This model is 30% faster than that one”).
- Technical knowledge is essential: Alibaba Cloud now requires candidates with degrees from top universities for PR roles, as AI PR involves understanding the technology; otherwise, companies won’t hire you if you can’t explain the differences between models.
3. Hardware companies: Avoiding media now, seeking PR in the future
Hardware companies in the AI era (like those making chips) currently avoid the media, but they will become new targets for PR efforts:
- Why not now? Their products are sold to businesses, not directly to consumers, so they can focus on making money without much public attention.
- Why in the future? When these companies grow to become trillion-dollar enterprises like CATL (which doesn’t manufacture cars but is still highly visible), they will need to establish PR departments to handle media coverage and build brands.
- Opportunities: Working with these companies now, or focusing on specialized media covering them, can lead to significant gains in the next three to five years—similar to how those who followed early internet companies benefited from the industry’s growth.
4. Where are internet PR professionals going?
Although internet companies won’t eliminate all PR roles, they will become more specialized:
- Defensive PR remains: Tasks like handling negative issues (e.g., fake products on Taobao, customer disputes with Didi) and content review (to prevent crises) will continue and may even increase as AI makes it easier to create false content.
- Aggressive professionals move on: Those skilled in content creation and storytelling will find opportunities in AI companies, new energy vehicles, high-tech manufacturing (e.g., Huawei and Xiaomi’s AI departments), or international businesses that need PR for their global brands.
- Examples: New energy vehicles have already hired many internet PR professionals, and most of the current PR staff in the AI industry come from the internet sector.
5. What about traditional media workers?
Media workers who relied on internet-related content (e.g., writing about 618 and Double 11 events) are at risk:
- Less work: Negative stories are ignored, and traditional media requests (e.g., 618 special reports) are declining.
- Why? Companies are shifting to AI, so writing about old internet concepts is ineffective.
- What to do? Learn technology to create content related to AI or switch to hardware-related fields; otherwise, revenue may halve by 2027, and you might run out of work by 2028.
In conclusion, the era has changed, and those who don’t adapt will be left behind. Although the author dislikes AI, he advises everyone to adapt, as life must go on and they need to keep up with the new trends to support their families.