How to Write a Press Release with AI Agents

Most solo founders skip press releases. They assume it's something you need a PR team for. You don't.

A press release is a structured document you send to journalists to announce something specific. It follows a fixed format that hasn't changed in decades. That's exactly why it's easy to hand off to an AI agent. The PR Specialist in the Marketing department knows the format, the tone, and the structure. You supply the facts.

Here's how to write a press release with AI agents, start to finish.

What a Press Release Is (and Isn't)

A press release isn't a blog post. It's not an ad. It's a third-person, factual statement written in a format journalists can quote directly, ignore, or forward to a colleague.

It announces something new: a product launch, a partnership, a major milestone, a new feature, a hire. If nothing genuinely changed, a press release won't help. If something real happened, a press release is how you tell the industry.

The format is rigid: headline, dateline, opening paragraph, two or three body paragraphs, a quote from the founder, a company boilerplate, and contact information. The PR Specialist agent produces all of it.

How to Write a Press Release with AI Agents

Step 1: Pick a real announcement

The agent needs a news hook. Be specific. "We updated our app" isn't a hook. "We launched a contract review agent that cuts legal review time from 2 hours to 15 minutes" is.

Good announcement types for solo founders:

• Product launch or major version update
• New integration or partnership
• Crossing a notable user or revenue milestone
• Award, press mention, or notable customer win
• New pricing or accessibility improvement

If you can't name the announcement in one sentence, you're not ready to write the press release yet.

Step 2: Gather your inputs

Open Claude Code and activate the PR Specialist agent from the Marketing department. Give it the following:

• The announcement in one sentence
• Why it matters to your target audience (one or two sentences)
• A quote you'd attribute to yourself as founder
• Your company name, website, and a contact email for journalists
• The date the announcement goes public

You don't need to write well. Rough notes work. The agent handles the prose.

Step 3: Review the lead paragraph

The agent will generate a full draft. The only section worth reviewing closely is the first paragraph.

A journalist decides whether to read further based on the first 30 words. The lead should answer who, what, when, where, and why in plain language. If the agent buried the announcement in the second sentence, tell it: "Lead with the product name and what it does. The announcement should be in the first sentence."

Step 4: Replace the placeholder quote

The agent will write a generic quote as a placeholder. Replace it with something you'd actually say. A specific sentence beats three vague ones.

"Most founders sign bad freelancer contracts because they're in a rush" is quotable. "We are thrilled to announce this innovative solution" is not.

Step 5: Trim to 400–500 words

Press releases should be short. If the draft runs long, ask the agent to cut the third body paragraph or tighten the boilerplate. Journalists don't read long ones.

Step 6: Distribute

The agent writes the release. Distribution is on you.

For most early-stage products, emailing 10–15 specific journalists who cover your space outperforms paid wire services. Research who writes about your category, find their email, and send a short note with the release attached or pasted. Paid distribution (Business Wire, PR Newswire) costs $300–$500 per release and works better for companies with existing brand recognition.

Real Example

Say you just launched a new agent for managing freelancer contracts. Your input to the PR Specialist agent:

Announcing a new AI agent that drafts and reviews freelancer contracts for solo founders. Cuts contract admin time from 2 hours to 15 minutes per hire. Founder quote: 'Most solo founders sign contracts they haven't really read because they don't have legal support on call. This agent gives you a thorough review in 15 minutes.' Company: [Name]. Website: [URL]. Contact: [email].

The agent returns a complete press release in AP style, ready to send. Total time: 10 minutes.

Common Mistakes

Writing it in first person. A press release is third person. "We launched X" becomes "[Company] today launched X." If the agent slips into first person, ask it to convert.

Announcing nothing specific. A feature update from three months ago isn't news. Time your press releases to real launch dates.

Sending to the wrong journalists. A B2B SaaS announcement sent to a consumer tech reporter won't get picked up. Spend 20 minutes finding two or three writers who cover your exact category. Relevance beats volume.

Including a quote that sounds like an ad. Journalists cut those. A real, specific observation from the founder is more likely to survive into the published version.

Bottom Line

Press releases are one of the few marketing assets with a fixed, learnable format. You don't need a PR team. You don't need copywriting experience. You need an announcement worth making and an agent that knows the format.

The PR Specialist handles the format. You handle the announcement.

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