The AI Download PR vs. the Machines: Aaron Kwittken on AI’s Role in Trust, Crisis & Comms Culture
Can AI pitch better than a publicist? In this episode, we find out.
This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.
On this episode of The AI Download, Shira Lazar is joined by PR innovator and CEO of PRophet.ai, Aaron Kwittken, for a high-energy conversation that pulls no punches. From industry disruption to ethical meltdowns at Meta, Kwittken shares his unfiltered take on how AI is transforming public relations, media trust, and the future of influence.
He also breaks down why marketers must balance pathological optimism with responsibility—and how AI tools can elevate (or obliterate) your communications strategy depending on how you use them.
Whether you’re a brand builder, crisis manager, startup founder, or someone just trying to make sense of AI’s impact on human connection—this episode is your playbook.
This episode covers:
🔹 How AI is transforming PR, pitching, and media targeting
🔹 Why Aaron says “never DNF”—and what endurance mindset has to do with entrepreneurship
🔹 Meta’s chatbot scandal and why transparency is non-negotiable in AI
🔹 What not to automate: apology statements, crisis comms, and your values
🔹 Data privacy, regulation, and what marketers must ask their AI vendors
🔹 The rise of synthetic voices and why voice cloning ethics matter
🔹 Why AI won’t replace publicists—but it will expose lazy ones
🔹 Falcon, Rosebud, and the AI tools you should try this week
🔹 What “communications engineering” looks like in the next 2 years
🔹 Why the PR industry must embrace technology—or get left behind
🎙 Guest: Aaron Kwittken
Founder & CEO of PRophet.ai
Follow him on LinkedIn
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Sponsored by:
👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.
Credits
This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.