“Companies are making strides in AI, but we’re nowhere near business as usual,”
says Juha Frey, MD at GlobalCom PR Network’s Finnish member agency Netprofile.
When you work in PR and marketing, you’re bombarded with suggestions for new tools, tips, and insights on artificial intelligence. Every event, newsletter, and watercooler conversation circles back to the ‘magic lantern’ of AI’s colourful projections. But, as our experienced local team in Finland has established in its recent analysis, the reality is more nuanced than the hype.
Juha sets the scene of his team’s analysis project: “I remember chatting with a fellow communicator over coffee at a business event. She told me AI is everywhere and it’s spectacular, but she added she was not blown away by it. It helped her get through her to-do list faster, but it doesn’t revamp her strategy. That exact sentiment is echoed throughout our new Insight Track 2025 report.”
We dive deep into how AI is actually being used in communications and marketing.
Insight Track 2025 is the second edition in Netprofile’s trend report series on the future of marketing and communications. The series focuses on shifts in the industry, particularly from a B2B technology perspective. The first report received a Certificate of Excellence in the prestigious international EMEA SABRE IN2 Awards. A fine recognition for a local team with a global outlook.
Download the full Netprofile Insight Track 2025 report here: Download PDF
AI: helpful, but not transformative (yet)
AI is everywhere in our industry today. The report says a whopping 82% of comms teams use AI daily, mostly making days smoother – drafting content, translating, summarizing, and helping with admin. The gains in productivity and speed can be real, but creative insights, standout content, and novel ideas are and remain human.
Here’s the catch: very few communications and marketing executives in the survey are using AI to actually change the game. Most continue to do what they’ve always done, leveraging AI to go faster. The “big leap” to AI-driven strategy or creative direction? That’s still a work in progress.
“AI is a fantastic tool, but it’s not a silver bullet. The real value comes when people know how to use it thoughtfully, not when they expect it to do all the thinking for them.”
The human touch is the secret sauce
If you’ve ever asked an AI tool to write a press release or an opinion piece that really lands, you will agree: good content and strong ideas are still hand-made. Human. The report confirms it: human expertise is still the secret sauce. AI is valuable in research and creating drafts and ideas, but real people need to get the data straight, add context, creativity, and local flavour. That is where the value of GlobalCom PR Network shines. It has decades of expertise in human relationship building and storytelling, with local and global know-how. And we know the difference between a firewall and a campfire.
One respondent in the survey said it well: “Human insight, empathy, creativity, and emotional intelligence remain instrumental and irreplaceable, especially in communications.” Still, the report gives a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they can ignore this trend.
Proceed with caution
With all the excitement, there’s also a growing sense of responsibility. The more teams use AI, the more they notice its risks: data privacy, copyright headaches, misinformation, and the ever-present worry about tools becoming obsolete overnight.
In strictly regulated industries like finance, fintech, and healthcare, every AI-generated output gets a second (and third) look before it goes any further. And this ‘handle with care’ mindset is part of the PR profession: no brand wants to accidentally publish a deepfake or a biased statement.
From playing around to real value
“Despite the hurdles, there’s a sense of optimism”, says Juha. The report shows a shift from “let’s try this out” to “how can we use this to get real impactful results?” Analytics, personalization, and workflow automation are three areas where AI is starting to make a real difference.
But, as the Netprofile team points out, this next phase will require more than just better software. It’ll take training, leadership, and a willingness to experiment (and sometimes fail).
Organizations that succeed will combine AI with strong human judgment and a clear sense of context and purpose.
Finland: local perspective, global lessons
If there’s one thing the Finnish market teaches us, it’s that local context matters. Finland is a tech-savvy country, an early adopter of mobile banking and digital signatures. But there’s also a deep respect for privacy, ethics, and the human side of communication.
Finnish teams are quick to test new tools, but they’re just as quick to set boundaries. Data privacy isn’t just a checkbox here; it’s a core value. That means AI gets used, but always with an eye on compliance and reputation.
Environmental impact is also coming up more often in conversations here. Finns are generally pretty eco-conscious, and the energy demands of large AI models aren’t lost on anyone. There’s a push for more transparency and accountability as these tools become part of everyday work.
What works in Helsinki might not work in Hamburg or Hong Kong, and that’s where the GlobalCom PR Network really adds value. Our local teams know their markets inside and out, and they help global clients avoid costly missteps.
To be continued, in Tuscany
About the interviewee: Juha Frey is co-founder and MD of Netprofile, Finland’s leading technology PR agency. With decades of hands-on experience in PR, marketing, and business strategy, Juha is also an active advisor and investor in Finland’s vibrant startup scene. He’s a frequent speaker, and a long-time guest lecturer at Aalto University. For Juha, powerful communication starts with trust, curiosity, and a genuine passion for helping people and ideas to grow. Contact Juha on LinkedIn.