Here's a number every communications team should sit with: 2%.
When Muck Rack compared the journalists PR teams pitch most often with the journalists AI tools cite most often for the same brands, the overlap was just 2%. In other words, most pitching effort is aimed at reporters who aren't shaping what AI says about you.
That matters because your buyers are asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity who to trust. If you're not earning coverage from the reporters those tools rely on, you're working hard and still missing the answer.
What the Data Says
Pitching and citing barely overlap. Muck Rack found just a 2% overlap between the journalists PR teams pitch most and the ones AI cites most for a given brand. (Fast Company, Oct. 9, 2026)
Journalism carries real weight. Across studies, journalism accounts for roughly 20% to 30% of the links AI search engines cite, and earned media overall makes up the large majority.
Trade press often leads. In healthcare, for example, 5W's research found AI leans most on trade outlets like STAT, Endpoints News and Fierce Biotech, not just national headlines.
PR wants the job. Onclusive's new research, released Nov. 10, found 75% of PR and marketing professionals think PR should own how brands appear in AI answers. Only 22% expect it to in 2027. (EIN Presswire)
The takeaway is simple. AI visibility is earned through reporters, and the right reporters may not be the ones on your current list.
Why the Gap Exists
Most media lists were built for a different goal: reach. Teams chase the biggest names and the highest circulation. That still has value, but AI tools pick sources differently.
AI favors depth. Reporters who cover a beat closely and often tend to get cited more than generalists.
AI favors recency. Fresh coverage carries more weight, so steady beat reporters show up again and again.
Lists go stale. Reporters change beats and outlets, and many lists haven't been rebuilt in years.
Nobody was tracking it. Until recently, PR teams had no way to see which journalists AI tools actually cite. Now tools like Muck Rack and Cision are starting to show it.
Five Ways to Close the Gap
1. Find out who AI cites in your category
Ask AI tools the questions your buyers ask, then look at the sources behind each answer.
Note which outlets and bylines appear most often
Repeat the exercise every quarter, since sources shift
2. Rebuild your media list around those reporters
Keep the big names, but add the beat reporters and trade editors AI relies on.
Tier your list by AI influence, not just audience size
Remove contacts who have changed beats or outlets
3. Pitch for depth, not just reach
AI-cited reporters want substance. Give them something they can build a story on.
Offer data, customer examples and named experts
Pitch fewer outlets with stronger, tailored angles
4. Stay in the conversation all year
Steady coverage beats one big moment, because AI favors recent stories.
Plan news or expert commentary every month
Be a fast, reliable source when reporters need comment
5. Measure AI citations alongside placements
A placement is good. A placement AI cites is better.
Track which of your stories show up as AI sources
Report AI visibility next to share of voice and coverage
A 20-Minute Gap Check
Try this before your next pitch cycle:
Ask two or three AI tools, "Who are the leading companies in [your category]?"
Click through the sources and write down every outlet and reporter cited
Compare that list with the reporters you pitched in the last six months
Count the names that appear on both lists. If the number is small, you've found your 2% problem, and your next media list.
The GRC Take
Great media relations has always meant knowing the right reporter for the right story. What's new is that "right" now includes the reporters AI trusts.
At Global Results Communications, we map which outlets and journalists AI tools cite in each client's category, then build media programs around them. It's how we connect earned media to what buyers actually see in AI answers, a full 360-degree view of reputation.
Want to know whether you have a 2% problem? Book a 30-minute conversation with our team, and we'll walk through who AI cites in your space.
Global Results Communications is a full-service PR and digital marketing agency serving technology, healthcare, space, telecom and other industries for more than 20 years.