Global PR Summit Canada 11

How AI is Changing Crisis Communications – What Your Plan Needs to Include in the Age of Deepfakes

As AI-driven disinformation pushes the communications landscape toward a “zero-trust” reality, traditional crisis playbooks are rapidly becoming obsolete. In this session, Dave Fleet, Managing Director and Global Head of Digital Crisis at Edelman, explores how generative AI and deepfakes have evolved from speculative technologies into precision tools capable of damaging institutional trust within minutes.

Drawing on his experience leading Edelman’s Counter-Disinformation Unit, Dave will outline a modern framework for resilience—moving beyond simple fact-checking to proactive “pre-bunking” and multi-channel verification protocols.

You will leave with a data-backed blueprint for auditing executive digital footprints and implementing the “human-in-the-loop” oversight needed to ensure your organization’s voice remains the definitive source of truth in an increasingly synthetic information environment.

Dave Fleet, Managing Director, Global Head of Digital Crisis, Edelman

The Emotional Intelligence Edge: Why Human Judgment Still Defines Great Communicators in an AI Era?

While AI can mimic language, it lacks the biological foundation for empathy, leaving a critical gap in communication that only high emotional intelligence (EQ) can fill. Data suggests that while AI can increase content volume by 40%, consumer trust hinges on human-centric cues, with 82% of stakeholders preferring brands that demonstrate authentic emotional resonance over optimized, synthetic messaging.

This session explores how to use AI as an efficiency engine while prioritizing human judgment for high-stakes ethical decisions, cultural nuance, and conflict resolution. You will learn how to leverage EQ as a strategic asset to navigate the “uncanny valley” of AI communications, ensuring your narratives don’t just reach an audience, but genuinely move them.

Kelly A. Nantel, Global Director, Media Relations, Amazon

Becoming the Source: How to Position Your Brand as the Default Expert in AI-Generated Answers

As the search landscape shifts from traditional “blue links” to AI-generated summaries, brands are facing a visibility crisis, where AI models—not search engines—act as the primary gatekeepers of information. This session provides a data-driven roadmap for securing your brand’s place as a definitive training source for Large Language Models (LLMs), ensuring your insights are the ones synthesized in AI-generated answers.

We will explore Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategies, focusing on how to structure authoritative, high-density content that AI systems prioritize. You will learn how to move from chasing keywords to establishing a true “source of truth” position that captures mindshare in an era where traditional click-through is being replaced by AI-curated responses.

Christina Frantom, Internal Communications Lead, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.

How False Narratives Spread: Identifying and Responding Before They Take Hold

In an information environment where rumors travel six times faster than facts, the window to protect your reputation is closing faster than ever. This session breaks down the lifecycle of a lie, showing you how to spot the early warning signs of a “fake news” cycle before it reaches the mainstream.

Moving beyond slow, traditional PR responses, you will learn practical “pre-bunking” techniques—sharing the truth early to inoculate your audience against future misinformation. We will also provide a clear roadmap for when to stay silent and when to speak up, giving your team the confidence to shut down false narratives with simple, authoritative messaging that preserves public trust.

Carly Weeks, Executive Vice-President of Public Affairs at St. Joseph’s Health System and former Globe and Mail Health Reporter

From Coexistence to Co-Creation: How AI and Human Creativity Unite to Elevate Marketing and Communications and Inspire Teams

As AI continues to reshape marketing and communications, leaders face a defining challenge: how to integrate AI in a way that enhances creativity, strengthens teams, and builds trust rather than creating confusion, resistance, or fear. In this candid and leadership-focused session, the University of Toronto’s Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Director, Digital Marketing and Communications will share how they approached AI not simply as a technology shift, but as a cultural and organizational transformation within one of Canada’s most complex and decentralized institutions. From early hesitation and uneven adoption to the creation of working groups, governance structures, and executive alignment, this session will explore the realities of moving from experimentation to meaningful integration. Attendees will gain practical insights into leading AI adoption with empathy and strategic clarity, creating psychological safety while maintaining productivity and rigor, navigating governance and procurement realities, and fostering true co-creation between AI and human teams. The session will also examine AI ethics, trust, and what the future of marketing and communications may look like in an era where human creativity and artificial intelligence increasingly work side by side.

Tanya Kreinin, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Director, Digital Marketing and Communications, University of Toronto

Emotional Intelligence in Storytelling: Crafting Narratives That Resonate

In an era where AI can generate content at scale, emotional intelligence has become the true differentiator in storytelling. This session explores why the most powerful narratives are still rooted in human experience, emotion, and relatability. From identifying the everyday characters audiences connect with to understanding the emotional triggers that build trust, empathy, and engagement, attendees will learn how to craft stories that resonate on a deeper level. The session will also examine how communicators can balance AI-driven efficiency with authentic human insight to create narratives that feel real, memorable, and emotionally impactful.

Sarah Del Giallo, Vice President, Strategic Communications & Reputation Management, Enterprise Canada

From Prompts to Agents: Building AI Workflows for End-to-End Communications Execution

AI is rapidly evolving from a productivity tool into a strategic operational partner for communications teams. In this forward-looking session, Mary Warner will explore how communicators can move beyond isolated prompts and begin building AI-powered workflows that support end-to-end communications execution. From research and content development to stakeholder analysis, approvals, measurement, and crisis response, the session will demonstrate how AI agents and connected workflows are reshaping the way communications functions operate. Attendees will gain practical insights into workflow design, governance considerations, human oversight, and the skills communicators need to successfully integrate AI into day-to-day operations while maintaining trust, accuracy, and strategic control.

Mary Warner, PR Lead, Microsoft Canada

Leading Through Uncertainty: Managing Communications During an Economic Downturn

The real estate industry has experienced one of the most significant market corrections in recent history, forcing organizations to navigate uncertainty, shifting investor confidence, workforce anxiety, and rapidly changing stakeholder expectations.

In this session, Daniel will explore how communications leaders can guide organizations through periods of prolonged disruption while protecting trust, culture, and reputation. Drawing from his experience managing communications across a global real estate enterprise during a generational industry reset, the session will examine strategies for balancing internal transparency with external positioning, maintaining employee confidence during difficult market conditions, and helping leadership communicate with clarity, empathy, and credibility when the future remains uncertain.

Daniel O'Donnell, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Oxford Properties