Axios AI+NY Summit: Brands get the message — AI is rewriting all the rules

NEW YORK — The generational shift in how people learn about a business due to AI requires planning, training and reassessing, communications leaders said at an Axios AI+NY summit Expert Voices roundtable.

Why it matters: A brand's reputation is now in the hands of AI bots that can grade, alter and distribute information about it without any input from the company.

• This makes what communicators produce that much more important, panelists warned.

Axios' Kerry Flynn and Eleanor Hawkins moderated the June 3 roundtable, which was sponsored by Allison Worldwide, part of New York Tech Week.

Five big takeaways from the conversation:

1. Brands must now write for artificial intelligence, not just people

• "We have to write two versions of things," said Marijke Shugrue, senior director of communications for PSEG. Her team writes one story for people, and a separate "bot-oriented piece" for AI sent on PR Newswire.
• Michael Marinello, JPMorgan's global head of communications, explained that AI is the next phase of media disruption, calling it "the biggest shift" since the "advent of the 24/7 news cycle."

2. New data shows Axios tops list as AI reshapes how stories are discovered

• Marinello highlighted a Muck Rack study of more than 25 million AI links that found Axios was the most-cited news source across major platforms.
• He added that internal tracking showed "11% of the coverage that we were generating was AI-driven."

3. Switching to an AI-driven internet creates friction as companies try to protect their data while training teams

• Making complex technical work accessible means building entry points "where people want to be," said Sarah Meron, chief communications and brand officer for IBM.
• Building AI capabilities internally can also be slow, forcing companies to rethink how employees spend their time. Lance Frank, Beehiiv's vice president and head of communications, said its AI strategy is to help "humans be more human, and creators be more creative."

4. Smart brands are hunting for new ways to be seen as bots outnumber clicks

• Edie Kissko, vice president of corporate affairs at HP, noted that because AI bots love scraping tech reviews, outlets like PC Mag are now more important for her team's product coverage.

• On apps like TikTok, short video clips showing women how to use basic AI tools to save time and make money are exploding in popularity, said Hot Smart Rich founder Maggie Sellers Reum.

5. Leaders are investing in human contacts, cutting through AI noise

• "Making connections, relations and networking, it's very important right now," said Monica Del Vecchio, chief marketing officer at TrueLogic.

Content from the sponsor's remarks:

Allison Worldwide managing director Jaime Tero said trust is the most valuable asset in an AI-driven information ecosystem.

• "It is the one currency that we still have that is truly human," Tero said.