Ruder Finn’s Shivaram Lakshminarayan: What PR agency leaders need after AI

For much of my career, building capability inside an agency often revolved around workshops and training sessions. They served a purpose, but AI demands something much more continuous. The technology is evolving rapidly, the use cases are expanding every day, and the difference between someone who has genuinely integrated AI into their workflow and someone who hasn't becomes apparent surprisingly quickly.

That's what led us to launch our AI upskilling initiative last month at Ruder Finn India. It is a structured learning programme focused on practical application rather than awareness. We designed different learning modules for different roles and levels, with a clear objective: helping our teams use AI confidently and responsibly in their day-to-day work, not just during a training session.

Perhaps the biggest lesson for me was that AI adoption isn't primarily a technology challenge, it's a behaviour change challenge. Once people understand where these tools genuinely add value, they begin to use them naturally.

How teams are actually using AI

The reality is far more nuanced than simply handing a brief to an AI tool and using whatever it generates. In our experience, the most effective use isn't about replacing the work, it's about improving how the work gets done.

A senior account manager might use Claude to pressure-test a pitch before an important client meeting to identify gaps in the argument or anticipate questions. A team working on a new business proposal can use Perplexity to accelerate competitive research and surface insights that would otherwise take hours to compile. Someone in client servicing may use AI to structure a report, refine the flow of information or validate the logic before building the final version. The thinking, judgment and recommendations still come from the team. AI simply helps them get there more efficiently.

Beyond individual workflows, we're also seeing AI strengthen how teams approach regional and vernacular communications, an area that is increasingly important in a country like India. It can help accelerate localisation, support first drafts in multiple languages and analyse large volumes of information across markets far more efficiently than before. But the technology still benefits from human oversight. Understanding why a message connects in one market but not another, or why a phrase carries different meanings across communities, requires cultural context that AI alone cannot provide. Used well, AI extends a team's reach. It doesn't replace the judgment needed to apply it effectively.

Why this is no longer optional

AI fluency inside an agency is fast becoming a baseline expectation rather than a competitive advantage.

We're already seeing this reflected in client conversations and RFPs. Increasingly, clients want to understand not just whether agencies are using AI, but how they are embedding it into their workflows responsibly and effectively.

Organisations navigating their own AI transformation are looking for partners who have already built internal capability, governance and practical experience, not those still deciding where to begin.

The agencies that will stand out are the ones that invest consistently in building real capability, rather than simply adopting new tools.

Three things every agency leader needs to watch

The first is over-reliance. AI should strengthen thinking, not replace it.

The moment teams begin treating AI output as the answer rather than the starting point, quality starts to erode. It rarely happens overnight and it shows up in work that is competent but predictable, polished but lacking a clear point of view. Leaders have to set the expectation that AI supports the work; it doesn't define it.

The second is context. Communication in India is shaped by culture, language, regional nuance and lived experience. AI can accelerate research, localisation and analysis, but it cannot fully understand why a message connects with one audience and misses another. Those decisions still require human judgment. The tool can inform the process, but it cannot replace the person who understands the audience.

The third, and perhaps the most important, is data security. Agencies work with sensitive client information every day, and while AI can accelerate workflows, it should never come at the cost of confidentiality. Clear guardrails around what can and cannot be shared with AI tools are essential. Responsible AI adoption isn't just about capability, it's about earning and protecting client trust.

Ultimately, the lesson is simple: AI is only as effective as the people using it. It amplifies good judgment, but it also amplifies poor judgment. The role of agency leaders is not simply to encourage AI adoption, but to build teams with the curiosity, critical thinking and cultural understanding to use it well.

Shivaram Lakshminarayan, is managing director, Ruder Finn India