"The AI Masquerade": British Companies Reinventing Themselves as AI Specialists

British companies are increasingly demanding that PR agencies pass off their ordinary automation as artificial intelligence. PR firm employees are complaining about a growing trend in which management insists on rebranding their business image to capitalize on the AI hype.

Stretches Instead of Facts

PR executives describe the situation as requiring "yoga-level" flexibility in reinvention. Companies from traditional industries using standard automation are demanding to be presented to journalists as AI specialists. An accounting system becomes "a platform with AI elements," scripts become "intelligent automation," and regular reports become "AI analytics."

• Regular process automation → "intelligent ML systems"
• Standard CRM → "platform with generative AI"
• Macros and scripts → "intelligent automation"
• Regular reports → "predictive AI analytics"

Why This Is Happening

The hype around AI attracts investors and journalists. Startups are raising mega-funding rounds, and the media publishes new stories about the chatbot revolution every day. Traditional companies see this and want the same attention—even though they're just large businesses with ordinary automation. PR agencies find themselves trapped: either lie or lose the client.

How This Will End

Journalists are quickly learning to distinguish real AI from fiction. When the fifth British company in a week claims to have "generative solutions" for warehouse management, it becomes clear: these are just ordinary systems. Such businesses lose credibility, and genuine innovations begin to look suspicious.

What It Means

"The AI Masquerade" is a signal that hype is separating from reality. Companies that honestly discuss their automation and its real benefits will look far more credible than those inventing AI for themselves now. In the end, when the bubble bursts, it will be those who lied who suffer the most.