In a recent study conducted by Featured and its analytics partner Pangram Labs, journalists expressed a clear preference for human‑authored sources over AI‑generated public‑relations pitches. The data, covering the period from June 2025 to July 2026, examined 1,394,740 pitches submitted in response to 42,392 journalist requests across Featured’s three platforms: Featured, HARO, and Connectively.

AI‑generated pitches fall short of expectations

Of the total pitches, Pangram flagged 292,895—roughly 21%—as fully AI‑generated. When journalists were given the choice, 35% of a pool of more than 2,500 reporters selected an option to block AI‑generated pitches, even though the screening feature is off by default.

Even among journalists who did not opt out, AI‑generated pitches performed poorly. Only one in ten AI‑crafted submissions were chosen for publication, compared with approximately one in three human‑written pitches.

Higher risk of account bans for AI users

The study also found a strong correlation between AI‑generated content and account suspensions. Banned accounts were about 3.6 times more likely to have submitted an AI‑flagged pitch than active accounts—24.7% of banned users had at least one fully AI‑generated pitch, versus 6.8% of active users.

While HARO does not automatically ban accounts for submitting AI‑generated pitches, the platform uses AI flags as one of several signals in its internal monitoring system. Accounts that repeatedly submit large volumes of low‑quality AI content may be filtered out to preserve trust in the marketplace.

Why some still turn to AI

Businesses and individuals seeking earned media coverage sometimes turn to AI‑driven public‑relations services to automate responses to journalist requests, hoping to increase brand visibility. The case of Dr. Eleni Nicolaou—an alleged art therapist whose entirely AI‑generated quotes appeared in more than 30 publications—illustrates the potential for misuse, though the individual likely does not exist.

However, the data suggests that this strategy does not pay off on Featured’s platforms. Journalists continue to favor authentic, human expertise, reinforcing the value of genuine source relationships.

Implications for the media ecosystem

The findings underscore the importance of verification‑gated platforms that prioritize quality over quantity. As AI tools become more accessible, the media industry faces an ongoing challenge to balance efficiency with the need for trustworthy, credible sources.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.