Donuts Still Matter: Why the Human Touch Eclipses AI in PR

HMA Public Relations is a founding member of the Public Relations Global Network. Our US-based firms gathered in (chilly) Nashville recently to engage, exchange and examine what is new and innovative and tried and true in our ever-changing industry.

And in front of a room of colleagues I like and respect, I confessed,  I love AI.

Now that might not sound so dramatic. After all, AI has done amazing things for the PR industry. It helps us brainstorm faster, write faster, organize faster, research faster. Do a lot of things faster. But no matter how amazing it is, we must also remember how important the human touch is in this business.

Because what we do in public relations is all about relationships. And relationships don’t run on efficiency – they run on trust.

Which brings me to my main point: donuts still matter.

Not because donuts are magical, but because they’re a stand-in for something we can’t automate. A donut says: “I thought about you. I made time. I showed up.”

AI can help us do the work… but humans are why the work works.

I invite you to watch this 7-minute Ted Talk-type presentation on Donuts Still Matter. Because in the end, people don’t remember the perfect email or clever subject line. They remember that you showed up. They remember that you cared. They remember how you made them feel. They remember that you brought them a donut.