It’s not just you; we’re feeling it as well. Since the 2022 launch of ChatGPT, the AI news cycle has been incredibly fast paced. But this year it’s been turned up to 11. AI is constantly in the news, and today’s trending topics quickly become yesterday’s think pieces (remember Tokenmaxxing?).
But we need to be clear. This news cycle presents a generational opportunity. The ambitious firms descending on the Olympia for Big Data LDN in September are in a unique position to bring clarity to the discourse in media outlets that matter. Media outlets that were much harder for technology companies to reach and influence in a pre-ChatGPT world.
Unfortunately, there aren’t enough column inches for every data, analytics and AI firm to seize that opportunity. For every firm that punches above its weight to show up in the media, multiple firms don’t. Those firms could be being told by their PR team that the current news cycle is simply too fast. That reporters are only interested in covering the very biggest players. Our team would take issue with that sentiment.
Looking ahead to Big Data LDN and beyond, here are four things data, analytics and AI firms can be reflecting on to weigh up the state, and untapped potential, of their media relations.
Can we use PR to speak to industry trends?
Technology companies think deeply about messaging their own product and proposition. There’s also value in thinking about what they could add to a hotly debated topic that competitor and peer companies couldn’t.
This isn’t necessarily about having an authoritative view on the political issues around AI, or even on developments coming out of the world’s most closely watched AI labs. The media is constantly trying to make sense of:
- How businesses are using AI today; are genuine strides being made or does ROI continue to prove elusive?
- How an agent-dominated digital economy will function; what questions of governance, infrastructure and enterprise readiness remain unsettled?
- Whether AI investment is outrunning proof of return; what happens when investor patience runs thin?
Data, analytics and AI firms are likely to hold usage data, customer insights and industry anecdotes that can bring clarity sought by the media. This is how to start speaking the language of reporters, and it can be done without straying from the boundaries of the issues companies are comfortable speaking on.
Are we platforming our leadership’s opinions?
It’s a natural instinct for technology companies to see their senior leaders as voices of authority. But journalists need a lot more than a senior title and an impressive CV to think so. Senior leaders are interesting to media when they offer:
- A clear interpretation of the AI-driven change across society
- A willingness to acknowledge trade-offs and sort the likely losers from winners
- First-hand insights and anecdotes from running a relevant business
- A talk track that stretches beyond a product narrative
The visibility of senior leaders grows when they’re thought leaders. Thought-led executives give journalists a credible way to explore corporate momentum and wider technology shifts through interviews and briefings with senior industry figures. That’s why strong opinions from your leaders matter. And why there’s real value in amplifying those opinions across platforms. Channels including personal LinkedIn and company websites should chime with media coverage.
Can we put journalists closer to the story?
Journalists are being bombarded with insights. Press releases, tip-offs, expert reaction. What they’re offered far less of is access. So there’s a strong case to be actively considering what access your firm could offer to a journalist. It could be:
- An invite to an in-person roundtable featuring customers discussing a pertinent topic
- An interview with a customer to hear how your technology is making a difference for their firm and industry
- Information related to corporate growth and momentum
- Proprietary data that tells a story no one else can
Exclusivity makes access appealing. Let’s consider mock scenarios and outcomes that speak to the last bullet from the above list:
- A press release announcing the passing of an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) milestone issued to media far and wide (limited cut-through in tier one tech and business media)
…Versus
- An exclusive interview with your CEO, hooked to undisclosed ARR momentum and the promise of discussing new customer demand and usage trends (a high-quality interview-led piece covering an ARR milestone which reaches investors)
A savvy PR team can help you use access strategically as a mechanism to achieve desired PR outcomes.
Let’s chat?
Big Data LDN comes to the London Olympia September 23-24, 2026. Interested in hearing our assessment of your company’s opportunity to generate media coverage that moves the needle in the current news cycle?
Reach out to us to set up a meeting on the show floor: [email protected]
