If Part 1 of our predictions was about the slower-burn shifts already reshaping comms, Part 2 is about the stuff that’s going to hit fast, loud, and occasionally break things.
Yes, we’re talking AI. No, not the “AI will change everything someday” kind of take. More like the “this is already happening” kind.
From agentic AI gone rogue to PR finally breaking free from its “just media” reputation, here’s what PANBlast leaders see coming next — and what comms teams should be bracing for now.
Agentic AI Will Break Things. Bigly.
Agentic AI operates on objectives, not prompts. And that’s where things get spicy.
These systems will move faster than legal, faster than comms, and definitely faster than your crisis playbook. They’ll make decisions, trigger workflows, and occasionally light something on fire before anyone can draft a holding statement.
Expect:
- Public screw-ups
- Lawsuits
- Emergency rollbacks
- And a lot of “how did this even happen?” post-mortems
The question isn’t if this causes a crisis. It’s when, and how big the blast radius will be.
“Agentic AI systems that act on objectives, not just chat, will create crises faster than most comms teams can draft a holding statement.”
— Jake Doll, Director
If your SaaS PR crisis plan doesn’t account for AI acting independently? You might want to fix that. Yesterday.
PR Is Finally Breaking Out of Its Media Relations Handcuffs
Shrinking newsrooms, exploding LinkedIn influence, and AI-powered search are forcing B2B SaaS and AI marketers to rethink where credibility actually comes from. And, you guessed it, it’s not only from earned media.
In 2026, the strongest brands will:
- Un-silo SaaS PR from “earned media only”
- Put comms teams in charge of trust — everywhere
- Treat corporate blogs, exec thought leadership, and customer stories as credibility engines, not side projects
PR’s job is trust. And trust doesn’t live in one channel.
“Trust and credibility will be too valuable to keep PR in channel-specific handcuffs.”
— Kim Jefferson, SVP
This isn’t PR losing relevance. It’s PR finally getting its seat at the marketing grown-ups table.
AI Will Squeeze Entry-Level PR Jobs (But Not Agency Value)
This one’s uncomfortable, but necessary to say out loud.
As AI improves at routine communication tasks, like drafting releases, monitoring mentions, and building lists, SaaS and AI companies will likely stop hiring entry-level PR talent in-house. Why? Because the work those roles used to do is now automated, faster, and cheaper.
That doesn’t mean SaaS PR talent is going away. It means the training ground is shifting.
The smartest agencies are already responding by:
- Investing harder in junior talent
- Teaching strategy, judgment, and client nuance early
- Building skills AI still can’t replicate (yet)
“A truly impactful communications strategy requires a human touch, judgment, and emotional intelligence that AI can’t replicate.”
— Lydia Beechler, Director
The irony? As in-house teams shrink, great agencies become more valuable, not less.
“Free” AI Tools Won’t Be Free Much Longer
Let’s be honest: if AI disappeared from your workflow tomorrow, things would get… panicky. Fast.
That’s why the era of actually useful free AI is ending.
The tools are too embedded. The dependency is real. And the value is obvious. Vendors know it, and pricing models are already shifting.
What’s coming:
- Paid tiers become the norm for serious users
- Free versions stick around, but feel more like demos
- Power users quietly (or not so quietly) start expensing subscriptions
“The free tier will still exist, but it’ll feel more like a demo than a solution.”
— Jake Doll, Director
Nobody’s walking away from AI at this point. The only question is how much you’ll be paying, and what you expect it to actually do for you.
TLDR:
AI is a mainstay in comms. It’s reshaping:
- How crises happen
- Where trust is built
- Who gets hired
- And what PR is actually responsible for
The SaaS PR teams that win won’t be the ones looking at AI as a tool. They’ll be the ones who have it ingrained in their daily workflows, blending the speed of AI with the unmatched human touch.
If Part 1 was about where the comms industry is headed, Part 2 is about how fast it’s getting there. Buckle up!