Tuesday 10th February 2026 @ 9:30am - 12:00pm
Overview
Reputation, risk and ethics are not separate conversations. They never have been and, in our AI-infused operating environment, they are now visibly inseparable. This session starts from that reality.
Artificial intelligence has altered how information exists, how decisions are made, how organisations are seen and believed. It introduces speed, scale and automation into environments that previously relied on human judgement, interpretation and restraint. That shift brings capability but it also brings exposure. This session is about understanding that exposure properly.
We explore how AI changes the nature of reputational risk, how automated systems distort accountability, how misinformation now behaves differently and how data practices quietly reshape public trust. We examine what ethical leadership looks like when systems act without intent, when content appears without authorship and when decisions are made at machine speed.
This is not a theoretical conversation – it is about what you are being asked to manage now and what will land on your desk next.
It is also about your role. Your judgement. Your responsibility as an advisor. Your capacity to slow things down when systems speed things up.
We will cover:
- Why ethical frameworks are essential infrastructure – not optional guidance
- How AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes and automated persuasion behave
- What happens when AI agents act without sufficient oversight
- Where data collection, scraping and automated analysis introduce reputational vulnerability
- How to maintain human authority, accountability and professional judgement
- What authenticity and attribution mean in a generative environment
- How bias enters systems and why it matters for trust and legitimacy
- How to guide leaders through these decisions without fear or false certainty
- AI tools to help you manage and monitor human-AI relationships
This session is for practitioners who want to be better prepared, better informed and better equipped to protect the relationships that matter most – even when AI tries to stage a break up.
Your presenter is..
Catherine Arrow LPRINZ FPRINZ FCIPR
Catherine Arrow is a pioneer and recognised leader in public relations education and practice and was named Global Public Relations Practitioner of the Year at the World PR Awards. She works with professionals and organisations of all types to build capability, strengthen strategy and deliver meaningful outcomes.
As founder and director of PR Knowledge Hub, Catherine leads an independent learning centre that provides high-quality professional development for practitioners worldwide — in person, online and on demand. Her work spans organisational relations, internal communication, public engagement, advocacy, ethics, risk and reputation, with a central focus on the practical use of emerging technologies. Over the last decade, she has focused on exploring and communicating the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on public relations and society, providing critical training and guidance and launching the first global AI in PR Capability Certification in 2022. Catherine supports practitioners at all stages of their career, helping them navigate complexity, build trust and lead with purpose.
Catherine is a Life member and Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Accredited Fellow ASEAN PR Network and a Founding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner. She is a Member of the Commission on Public Relations Education and a Member of the Institute of Directors. Contributions to the public relations profession include her eight-year tenure as board member and Secretary of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and she is an active member of the International Advisory Board for FERPI. A respected writer and speaker on the societal impacts of public relations, Catherine’s career has spanned the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and she is a recipient of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand President’s Award for exemplary contribution to the profession.
