How to Write and Pitch a Press Release Using AI (Without Sounding Like a Robot)
You have a genuinely good story to tell about your business. Maybe you've just launched a new product, opened a second location, or hit a major milestone. You know you should tell the media, but staring at a blank page while trying to remember the difference between a boilerplate and a dateline is enough to make anyone close their laptop and go make another coffee.
For most small business owners, public relations feels like a dark art reserved for big brands with deep pockets. The reality is that traditional PR agencies often charge upwards of $3,000 a month on retainer, and pitching a single story can take weeks of back-and-forth. That is simply not an option when you are bootstrapping or running a lean team.
This is where AI tools can actually help bridge the gap. But let me be clear: you cannot just ask ChatGPT to "write a press release" and send the result to a journalist. If you do, it will end up in the trash folder faster than you can say "synergy."
In this guide, I will walk you through a practical, step-by-step workflow for writing and pitching a press release using AI, based on my 20+ years of communications experience. We will look at real costs, realistic timeframes, and exactly what you should (and shouldn't) do.
What is the best AI tool for writing a press release?
When it comes to drafting a press release, you need a tool that understands structure and tone. Currently, Claude 4.6 Sonnet (from Anthropic) is the strongest option for this specific task. It costs $30 AUD ($20 USD) per month for the Pro version.
Claude tends to write more naturally than ChatGPT, which often defaults to overly enthusiastic, marketing-heavy language. Journalists hate marketing fluff. They want facts, quotes, and context. Claude is much better at maintaining a neutral, professional tone that mimics a traditional news wire style.
If you are already paying for ChatGPT Plus ($30 AUD/month), you can absolutely still use it. You will just need to be much stricter with your prompts to strip out the adjectives and hyperbole. Google's Gemini Advanced ($32.99 AUD/month) is also an option, particularly if you want to integrate your workflow directly with Google Docs.
How long does it take to write a press release with AI?
If you have your facts ready, you can draft a solid press release in about 45 to 60 minutes using AI. This is a significant reduction from the three to four hours it might take to write one from scratch if you are not an experienced PR professional.
However, the AI is only doing the heavy lifting on the structure and the initial draft. The human element—editing, refining quotes, and ensuring the story actually makes sense for your target audience—is where you need to spend your time.
Here is a realistic time breakdown for the drafting phase:
•Gathering facts and key messages: 15 minutes
•Prompting and generating the first draft: 10 minutes
•Human editing and refining: 20 minutes
•Final proofread and formatting: 10 minutes
What is the true cost of distributing a press release in Australia?
Writing the release is only half the battle; getting it in front of journalists is the other. You have two main options here: DIY pitching or using a distribution service.
If you choose to pitch directly to journalists yourself, the financial cost is zero, but the time cost is high. You will need to spend several hours researching the right journalists, finding their contact details, and sending individual emails.
If you want to use a distribution service to send your release out on the wire, expect to pay. In Australia, services like News Today offer a standard distribution package for around $49 per release, which gets your news into industry directories and sends alerts to reporters. More premium services like AAP Newswire or Medianet tend to operate on much more expensive subscription models, that will only provide value if you plan to be sending multlple press releases each month.
For most small businesses, a hybrid approach works best: use a budget-friendly distribution service for SEO benefits and broad reach, and spend your time personally pitching 5 to 10 highly relevant journalists.
Step 1: Gather your facts (The "Who, What, When, Where, Why")
Before you open your AI tool, you need to know exactly what you are trying to say. AI cannot invent facts (well, it can, but that is called a hallucination, and it will ruin your credibility).
Open a blank document and write down the core details of your announcement. You need the "Five Ws": Who is involved, what is happening, when is it happening, where is it taking place, and why does it matter to anyone outside your company?
You also need to draft a quote from a key person in your business. Do not ask the AI to invent a quote for you. Write down what you actually want to say, in your own words. It does not have to be perfectly polished; the AI can help smooth it out later, but the sentiment must be yours.
Step 2: Use this specific prompt to generate the draft
Once you have your facts, it is time to prompt your AI. The secret to a good output is giving the AI strict boundaries. You need to tell it exactly what format to use and what words to avoid.
Copy and paste this prompt into Claude or ChatGPT, filling in your specific details:
"Act as a senior PR professional in Australia. Write a 400-word press release based on the facts provided below.
Follow standard press release structure: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, a strong headline, a dateline (City, Australia – Date), an introductory paragraph summarizing the news, a quote paragraph, a paragraph with additional context, and a boilerplate about the company.
CRITICAL INSTRUCTIONS: Use Australian English spelling. Write in a neutral, journalistic tone. Do not use marketing jargon, buzzwords, or overly enthusiastic adjectives. Do not use words like 'thrilled,' 'excited,' 'revolutionize,' or 'game-changer.'
Here are the facts: [Insert your facts and your rough quote here]."
Step 3: The human edit (What AI cannot do)
This is the most important step. When the AI generates the draft, do not just copy, paste, and send. You must review it with a critical eye.
AI cannot understand the nuance of your industry relationships or the specific editorial stance of the publication you are pitching. It will often structure the release perfectly but miss the "so what?" factor that makes a journalist care.
Read the headline and the first paragraph. If a journalist only reads those two things, will they understand exactly what the news is? If not, rewrite it. Check the quote to ensure it sounds like something a real human being would actually say. If it sounds like a corporate robot, change it back to your original wording.
Finally, check the boilerplate (the "About Us" section at the bottom). Ensure it accurately reflects your business size and scope without overstating your market position.
What NOT to do when pitching your AI-assisted press release
The biggest mistake small businesses make is treating a press release like a mass marketing email. Do not load your release into Mailchimp and blast it to 500 generic email addresses you scraped from the internet.
Do not attach the press release as a PDF or a Word document in your initial email. Journalists hate attachments from people they do not know; they often get flagged by spam filters. Instead, paste the text of the press release directly into the body of your email, below a short, personalised pitch.
Do not follow up with a journalist more than once - twice if you really think they’re spot on for the story you’re pitching. If you send the pitch on a Tuesday, you can send a polite follow-up on Thursday or Friday. If they do not reply after that, they are not interested. Move on.
Key Takeaways
•Use Claude 4.6 Sonnet ($30 AUD/month) for drafting press releases, as it naturally adopts a more neutral, journalistic tone than ChatGPT.
•A realistic workflow takes about 45-60 minutes: 15 mins gathering facts, 10 mins prompting, 20 mins editing, and 10 mins finalizing.
•Never let AI invent quotes or facts; provide the core details and your own rough quotes in the prompt.
•Avoid mass-emailing your release; paste the text directly into personalized emails to 5-10 highly relevant journalists.
•For distribution, consider budget options like News Today ($49) for SEO benefits, alongside your targeted personal pitching.