Fay Shapiro

Public relations has always been about helping organizations earn attention, credibility and trust. Today, communicators are confronting a new challenge: influencing not only what people think, but also what artificial intelligence learns. As generative AI platforms become increasingly important gateways to information, Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO, is emerging as one of the most significant developments in communications.

By We’re in the heart of commencement season and, as it begins winding down, the job search is starting to ramp up for a new generation entering the communications profession. This year’s graduates are entering the workforce during one of the most disruptive and transformative periods the communications industry has ever experienced. AI is rapidly reshaping workflows, audience behavior, media discovery and storytelling itself.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of a new CommPRO editorial series exploring what today’s communications graduates should know as they enter the workforce during one of the profession’s most transformative moments. The series launched with recent reflections from Renée S. Edelman in her CommPRO article, “Renée S.