Message Received: Not Even the Publicist Was Real

Published: August 14, 2026

Hi Friends,

August in Los Angeles means everyone’s either at the beach or pretending they have somewhere to be that isn’t the office (not me, Boss; I’m glued to my desk). We’re using the quiet last month of summer to catch up on reading, and this month it all keeps circling back to one question: what happens to trust when faking things gets too easy?

Let’s get into it.

 

WHEN THE CHATBOT BECAME THE CANDIDATE

The race to replace former Speaker Nancy Pelosi just offered a preview of AI-era campaign risk. According to The San Francisco Standard, California State Sen. Scott Wiener’s team built ConnieChan.ai, a chatbot designed to mimic San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and portray her as an obstructionist based on her record. The bot produced replies mocking her accent, race, gender, and appearance, prompting accusations of racism and sexism from Chan’s campaign, Pelosi, and other Democratic lawmakers. Wiener pulled the bot and its billboards days later, saying he had “clearly missed the mark.”

What this means for communicators:

Satire can cross a line quickly. A tactic designed to target someone’s record can read differently when it starts mimicking a person’s voice or identity.

Don’t let the tactic become the story. Once a controversial tactic becomes the news, the message it was designed to deliver can disappear entirely. Instead of talking about housing or transit, Wiener spent the week defending a chatbot.

Innovation is great, and campaigns need fresh tactics. But please, for the love of crisis communications, test, test, test before going live, especially where AI is involved.

 

AI/DEEPFAKES: THE READINESS GAP

Corporate affairs leaders are naming AI as a top risk factor but don’t feel ready to respond to the threat.

The numbers are from GlobeScan's recent research, a global survey of nearly 300 senior Corporate Affairs practitioners:

  • 44% of leaders now name AI and technology as one of the biggest risks to business over the next two years, up from 17% just last year.
  • Only 18% say their Corporate Affairs function is prepared to manage a deepfake or AI-driven misinformation incident, while 43% say they are not very prepared and 30% describe themselves as only somewhat prepared.

What this means for communicators:

  • A deepfake response protocol isn't a "someday" item anymore.
  • Get your company ready: update your crisis scenario plan, so you're just as prepared for an AI attack or AI impersonation of your CEO as you are for an old-school company scandal.

 

THE PITCH WAS FAKE. SO WAS THE PUBLICIST

Big news in the communications algorithm (but unknown if anyone outside that bubble heard). A Futurism investigation found that a UK-based PR firm was operating a network of fabricated publicists, some complete with AI-generated headshots, to pitch journalists on behalf of real clients—without those clients knowing.

What this means for communicators:

  • There's a clear line between using AI to scale communications and using it to misrepresent who's behind them. The safest bet is to avoid external bots for your communications work, keep them behind the scenes, and keep a human in the loop.
  • Whether a client authorized the tactic or not, they're the ones whose reputation is on the line if the deception is exposed.
  • Credibility with journalists is hard-earned and easily lost. Once reporters begin questioning who's behind the email, they're more likely to question the story itself.

 

FIRM NEWS

In Kansas’ August primary, voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have replaced the state’s merit-based judicial selection system with partisan elections, preserving a process designed to keep courts fair, independent, and accountable. Bryson Gillette worked on the “Vote No” campaign for Kansas United for Impartial Courts alongside several partners. BlueLabs, in particular, built voter universes based on Kansans’ values and community priorities rather than traditional partisan lines, helping shape the campaign’s paid media strategy.

Further down the ballot, five of the Kansas House Democratic candidates we supported in contested primaries advanced to the general election, with locally tailored digital strategy, creative, and paid media. Together, the results provide an early look at the issues, values, and messages resonating with Kansas voters heading into the fall.

 

WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON
Forbes: "2026 50 Over 50: Impact"

Forbes: "What Legacy-Driven Leadership Looks Like: From Native Forward's CEO"

CalMatters: "On Juneteenth, Californians Should Ask: What Will It Take for Black Communities to Thrive?"

Daily Yonder: "In Alaska and West Virginia, Credit Unions Innovate to Meet the Needs of Rural Communities"

The Guardian: "Public Transit Is a Lifeline for Countless Americans. Trump Is Derailing Our Protections"

SF Chronicle: "'Bad-faith campaign': Judge blocks Trump's DOJ from collecting trans kids' records at Stanford hospital"

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME

A fake byline, a deepfake, a polished message with no real point of view are all reminders of the same thing. The easier it becomes to imitate trust, the more valuable it becomes to earn it.

—Bryson Gillette