News»Research And Impact
The cover of the 2025 Global Communication Report, which features two silhouettes of heads (left orange, right blue) back to back with the title of the report in a red circle between them: "Mind the Gap."
Research and Impact

Center for Public Relations’ Global Communication Report uncovers key industry shifts and generational divides

March 27, 2025
Communication and Marketing Staff
Updated March 27, 2025 10:44 a.m.

The public relations industry is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by artificial intelligence, hybrid work, a changing media landscape, and deepening political divides. Across four generations — Gen Z to Baby Boomers — PR professionals are navigating these transformations, each with unique perspectives on where the industry is headed.

A new study from USC Annenberg’s Center for Public Relations, in collaboration with Zeno Group and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), uncovers striking generational differences in views on AI, corporate purpose, workplace culture, and the media’s future. Titled “Mind the Gap,” this year’s Global Communication Report offers key insights into how PR is evolving — and what it means for the profession moving forward.

  • Gen Z is both enthusiastic and concerned about AI. Two-thirds of Gen Z PR professionals believe that AI will have a positive impact on the industry, while one-fourth predict AI will reduce the number of entry-level positions available to them.

  • WFH is an expectation. 72% of Gen Z respondents say that hybrid and remote work makes their jobs easier, compared to just 39% of Boomers. 47% of Gen Zers would accept less pay in exchange for greater flexibility, almost twice that of Gen Xers at 25%.

  • Corporate social responsibility drops. The overall percentage of PR professionals who believe companies have the responsibility to address social issues has dropped precipitously — from 89% in 2023 to 52% in 2025. Creating another gap, 76% of Gen Z communicators share this expectation — compared to only 40% of Boomers and Gen Xers, who appear to be losing their convictions.

  • Taylor vs Times. Gen Z and Millennial consumer product marketers prefer an endorsement from a celebrity like Taylor Swift over a positive consumer article in a national newspaper like The New York Times.

  • Every generation believes they are the best informed. If each age group thinks they know more about political, social and current events than the others, it will be tough to collaborate across generations.

  • Optimism in the face of disruption. Despite all these economic, political and technological upheavals, 74% of PR professionals hold a positive outlook on the industry’s future. This optimism is shared across all four generations.

“The future of the PR industry depends upon how tomorrow’s leaders tackle the critical issues we are beginning to face today,” said Fred Cook, director of the Center for Public Relations and chairman emeritus, Golin. “Not bound by tradition, Gen Z seems equipped and eager to confront those challenges. If we educate and support them on this mission, our profession will be in good hands.”

Read the 2025 Global Communication Report here.