Purpose of research This research aims to explore the factors that challenge or enable the adoption of new communication technologies by Aotearoa New Zealand's public relations industry. More specifically, it investigates the adoption of social media and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, identifying associated ethical issues. The research will use past experiences of adopting social media to provide important lessons for today’s adoption of AI and highlight the importance of proactive learning, responsible experimentation, strong ethical frameworks and securing a place for public relations voices in technology policy discussions. Design and methodology Semi-structured interviews were conducted to detect senior professionals’ experiences and insights regarding the adoption of both social media and AI. Interviewees were selected based on their years of experience, allowing the researcher to ensure a comparison between the adoption of social media and the current adoption of AI. This meant participants had to have at least 14-15 years of experience. Based on the interviews’ content, the researcher created a questionnaire, which was distributed to 3,010 Aotearoa New Zealand public relations professionals through the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand’s newsletter. In addition, the researcher directly contacted 16 public relations professionals known to the researcher in Aotearoa New Zealand and posted the survey through the researcher’s LinkedIn page which reached 418 other LinkedIn members. The survey questionnaire and interviews guideline were designed to gather data on public relations professionals’ initial understanding of social media, as well as their organisations’ initial attitude, how their social media policy was created and how they currently used social media in their work. It also sought to understand the current adoption trends of AI by gathering information and attitudinal perceptions from the respondents’ organisation, their opinions on AI, if their organisation had an AI policy, their involvement and if they had used AI in their work, as well as any future opportunities they see if adopting AI. The major question the guide this study was: What are the factors that challenge or enable the adoption of new communication technologies by the public relations industry? Findings Social media blurred the boundaries between personal and professional identities, creating new ethical and reputational considerations for public relations professionals. Social media expanded public relations responsibilities to include real-time engagement, content creation and analytics. AI has the power to enhance productivity, however the need for upskilling and training as AI becomes more prominent in communication workflows is crucial. There are explicit knowledge and skills gaps related to AI, particularly in areas such as ethical use, content verification and integration into strategic communication. Public relations pracitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand feel underprepared for AI’s rapid evolution, and there is limited access to formal training tailored specifically to public relations applications, due to organisational barriers, unclear policies and resistance to change. Originality/value This research is original in its dual focus on the adoption of both social media and AI in the public relations industry, using the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory as a unifying analytical framework. While previous studies have examined these technologies separately, this research is among the first to compare their adoption patterns side by side, offering a longitudinal perspective on how public relations professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand, respond to digital transformation over time. The study uniquely highlights the parallels between past and present adoption behaviours, revealing recurring organisational hesitations, generational divides and evolving role expectations. It also contributes new insight into current AI knowledge and skills gaps, which have yet to be comprehensively addressed in existing public relations scholarship. By drawing on real-world practitioner narratives, this research adds depth to theoretical understanding and offers practical implications for how the profession can better prepare for emerging technologies.