News and Insights
All that glitters is not gold: PR’s AI washing problem
September 15, 2026
In this blog, you will learn:
- What AI washing is
- How AI washing is relevant to PR
- What the risks of AI washing mean for brand and PR strategies.
These days, it seems everything has artificial intelligence (AI) built in. The trouble is, not everything is as it claims to be and that’s a problem for communicators. ‘AI washing’ generates so much noise in the market, technology companies with AI claims that actually do stand up to scrutiny can struggle to be heard.
Finding a way to break through the clamour and tell an AI story effectively falls to communications and PR teams. This blog explores the context, consequences and challenges of AI washing and provides a course of PR action.
What is AI washing?
AI washing describes the business practice of overinflating claims of AI use or capabilities.
A company may exaggerate how its product or service uses AI to make it appear more technologically advanced and therefore desirable. It may claim in its annual report that workflows draw on AI to streamline processes, making them more efficient and therefore the business more attractive to investors and other stakeholders.
AI washing follows the well-trodden path of ‘greenwashing’, the now-familiar practice of overstating sustainability credentials. This became so widespread a problem that the European Commission investigated and, in 2021, revealed 42% of websites it screened gave authorities reason to believe their green online claims may be false or deceptive.
There is pressure from industry and boards to speak publicly about AI initiatives. Enterprises that engage in AI washing do so also because it can be lucrative, if people believe it. Technological breakthroughs attract investment, so companies perceived to be pioneers can command a valuation premium—as much as 22% for e-commerce SaaS startups, according to financial data and software company PitchBook.
As such, terms like ‘AI-powered’, ‘AI-enabled’ and ‘AI-driven’ now pepper press releases, annual reports, websites and marketing content, some of this is AI washing, the rest may be genuine but must be backed up and not performative.
Brand damage and other consequences of AI washing
AI washing is not consequence-free. It may sound harmless, after all how often is the label ‘innovative’ attached to something with scant justification for the term?
Yet, AI washing can do real damage. For starters, audiences are sceptical. Almost half (47%) of B2B buyers surveyed by Arcade said “overuse of AI language without clear relevance” caused them to disengage from marketing content.
That can damage sales, impact revenue and potentially jeopardise long-term trust in a brand.
AI washing also carries with it a litigation risk. Claims perceived to be misleading can be challenged under consumer protection regulation, corporate governance code requirements and potentially even fraud offences. Meanwhile, existing advertising standards regarding substantiation apply just as much to AI claims as any others.
All of which could mean that, “a surge of AI-washing cases is imminent.”
The two-pronged AI washing challenge for PR professionals
You could be forgiven for thinking that AI is so much the ‘flavour of the month’, it should sell itself.
The opposite is true. AI washing presents two distinct challenges to PR professionals working to communicate brand narratives:
- Getting reeled in to AI washing
Technology communications cannot avoid AI. The technology is pretty much everywhere and seems to exist in pretty much everything (with varying degrees of success and disquiet).
However, journalists tire quickly of communications that jump on a bandwagon. They want news that stands out and won’t be impressed by AI claims without questioning them first.
The Guardian looked at AI washing from the perspective of the PR executive who is asked continually to describe something as AI. One representative of tech and PR firms summed up the challenge of ‘selling’ such a narrative to media: “You can almost hear the eyes roll when you mention the word AI.”
- Cutting through the AI noise
Not all AI claims are AI washing. But overblown claims from a percentage of companies do muddy the waters for everyone communicating an AI story. PR teams risk their narratives of actual AI breakthroughs and successes being overlooked, misunderstood or ignored by media, customers and others.
Furthermore, AI itself becomes discredited by its own ubiquity, which reduces trust in the technology overall and can potentially damage the prospects of companies promoting products and solutions with AI genuinely at their core.
How to steer clear of AI washing and communicate real AI value
To stand out in a crowded market and build confidence in AI applications, PR professionals must place a key emphasis on transparency and demonstrating expertise.
They must steer away from lofty claims in favour of tangible capabilities, outcomes and measurable business value, utilising thought leadership to establish credibility.
Communicators must formulate a strategy that will:
- Establish credibility for genuine AI-powered solutions
- Communicate authentically and transparently
- Provide evidence of where and how AI is used
- Demonstrate the benefits of AI-powered/-enabled/-driven
- Build and maintain awareness of AI-powered solutions
- Demonstrate competitive edge through AI integration.
How FINN Partners can help
FINN Partners works with a wide range of technology clients to communicate AI value through media relations, thought leadership, corporate communications, digital marketing, influencer programmes, public affairs, content creation, brand strategy, research and insights.
Find out about our technology PR offerings and contact us to discuss.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI washing?
AI washing describes the business practice of overinflating claims of AI use or capabilities.
Why should brands be concerned about AI washing?
AI washing can damage brand credibility, revenue potential and long-term customer relationships. Consumers and businesses alike are becoming more sceptical of AI claims because they have seen too many exaggerations and unsupported statements of outcomes. There is also a litigation risk because misleading claims can be challenged.
Why does AI washing matter to PR professionals?
AI washing presents two challenges to PR and communications teams: trying to ‘sell’ AI narratives to media fatigued by such claims and cutting through the noise to convey genuine AI expertise and developments.
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