AI, Quantum, and Culture: Governor Gurmit Singh Calls PR to Lead, Not Just Inform
Ahead of the 47th All-India Public Relations Conference in Dehradun (13-15 December), Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) met a PRSI delegation at Lok Bhavan and laid out a clear brief for the industry. His message: PR isn't a support function-it's a vital driver of national progress.
He framed public relations as the bridge between India's core values and modern communication. For Viksit Bharat @ 2047 to move from plan to progress, communication must be precise, human, and widely accessible.
What PR leaders should act on
- Make communication the growth engine: Translate policy into public clarity. Turn programs into participation with simple language, regional outreach, and consistent follow-through.
- Use AI with guardrails: Apply AI for research, multilingual content, message variation, social listening, and measurement. Keep a human editor in the loop and log model prompts, outputs, and approvals.
- Track quantum's implications: While mainstream use is early, keep an eye on security and encryption. Work with IT on data retention plans and future-proof trust and verification workflows.
- Stay rooted in culture: Pair data with lived context-local languages, community networks, festivals, and regional media. Authenticity beats volume.
- Move beyond dissemination: PR should guide, convene, and set standards for accuracy and ethics. Establish clear source-of-truth channels and correct misinformation fast.
- Be selective on social: Prioritise positive, factual, public-interest communication. Maintain a visible correction policy, creator partnerships, and a cadence the team can sustain.
- Upskill the team: Build AI literacy, measurement, crisis readiness, and policy fluency into quarterly training. Document playbooks and run drills.
If you're formalising team skills around AI for communications, see curated options by role here: AI courses by job.
About the Dehradun conference
Theme: "The Role of Public Relations in Viksit Bharat @ 2047." More than 300 delegates from across India are expected. Given Uttarakhand's silver jubilee year, special sessions will cover the state's development journey, achievements, and future prospects.
At the briefing, the delegation presented the conference brochure and outlined PRSI's objectives and activities. Officials present included Joint Director of Information Directorate Nitin Upadhyay; PRSI Dehradun Chapter leaders Ravi Bijarnia (President), Anil Sati (Secretary), Suresh Bhatt (Treasurer); and members Sanjay Bhargava and Vaibhav Goyal.
Prepare before 13 December
- Audit your AI use: Where does it help today (research, content ops, reporting), and where do you need controls?
- Tighten your social policy: Fact-check workflow, approval matrix, corrections protocol, and crisis roles.
- Localisation checklist: Languages, regional media partners, community voices, and cultural calendars.
- Bring a case study: One campaign that turned policy into participation-objectives, method, outcomes, and lessons.
The Governor's ask is simple: use technology, respect culture, and lead with integrity. That's a mandate the profession is built to deliver.
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