By, Sarah Jamil
GOMBAK, 20 January 2025: The Evolving Role of Public Relations (PR) in Crisis and Reputation Management Forum was held at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Gombak. It was organized by fourth-year Communication students, on 10 January 2025.
It featured two distinguished panelists, Founder and Managing Director of Mad Hat PR PLT, Rangeeta Rendava, and Founder, Principal Partner, and Managing Director of Perspective Strategies, Andy See.
Both panellists emphasized that technological developments, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is causing a level of change in the communication and public relations (PR) industry. They discussed the fast rate of change in evolving media and communications practices.
For decades, traditional tools such as fax machines and physical newspapers dominated communication channels. However, these tools have now become obsolete as media consumption shifts online. “COVID-19 significantly accelerated this transition as the pandemic wiped out the practice of picking up physical newspapers for most people,” said Andy.
After the COVID-19 pandemic ended, AI entered into the communications field that marks a new era of efficiency and challenges. However, there is concern about losing the human touch. “The humanizing aspects of communication, such as building trust and transparency, remain irreplaceable. The key is to embrace AI while preserving these fundamentals,” emphasized Rangeeta.
Despite its benefits, AI poses challenges for PR practitioners. With tools like ChatGPT capable of generating content in seconds, questions arise about the relevance of traditional skills. Communication students and professionals alike are urged to adapt to the changing landscape.
Thus, the fundamentals of good communication trust, integrity, and transparency—remain crucial, even as technology evolves.
Furthermore, they also talk about the misinformation that has emerged as a critical issue for the PR industry. The rise of social media and algorithm-driven content has created echo chambers, amplifying extreme views and increasing the risks for brands.
“Misinformation isn’t just a future problem; it’s happening now as it is a weapon that can influence elections, create crises, and damage reputations,” said Andy.
Educating the people in identifying fake news is becoming increasingly important and even children are now being taught to recognize misinformation highlighted both panellits. They also mentioned that as PR practitioners, we must have the responsibility to balance the need for rapid content production with fact-checking and authenticity.
Moreover, while in the forum both panelists also shared their past experiences. “In the past, we would spend months planning innovative campaigns. Today, immediacy and competition make that luxury nearly impossible,” said Rangeeta.
Despite these challenges, the consensus among professionals is clear that technology is reshaping the industry, the core principles of communication, human connection, creativity, and ethics must not be forgotten in the field.
The industry’s future will require striking a balance between embracing AI and maintaining authenticity in Communication.***


Photos of the forum (credit to event’s official photographer, Hanif Ibrahim)
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