• Revealing new intelligence on impact from AI advancement globally and across sectors
• Establishing the new mind set for comms leadership for 2030

PAUL X MCCARTHY
CEO, Research Leader, League of Scholars

• Why personalisation is now table stakes in public messaging
• Storytelling in an age of micro-targeted narratives
• The risks of letting algorithms decide who sees what

KENDALL MASTERS
Director, Channels and Content, Australian Renewable
Energy Agency (ARENA)

• At the heart of research commercialisation lies a simple but powerful challenge: can the story of science be told in a way that others see its value?
• Through CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program, researchers across Australia are learning to transform breakthrough ideas into compelling real-world narratives – shifting from “feature-thinking” to clear expressions of impact and benefit.
• Generative AI is now entering this space, reshaping how researchers frame their stories. Rather than replacing human creativity, AI is becoming a practical companion; helping sharpen messaging, clarify value propositions, and build storytelling confidence. Yet adoption is uneven, with researchers choosing tools and approaches that reflect their own comfort levels, contexts, and ethical considerations.
• This fireside chat will explore how ON is equipping researchers with the skills to connect science with industry, government, and the public – while reflecting on the role AI can play in this evolving craft. We’ll also consider the broader questions for communicators and policymakers: How do we know if
AI is fit for purpose? What safeguards protect data and privacy? And how do we ensure inclusivity and trust?
• Joining the discussion, Dr Muneera Bano brings her award-winning expertise in human-centred software engineering and ethical technology adoption – offering critical insights into how we can embrace AI responsibly while keeping marketing and innovation storytelling distinctly human.

MUNEERA BANO
Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO

LAURA JIEW
Marketing Communications Manager,
ON Innovation Program, CSIRO

10.50 REFRESHMENTS AND NETWORKING

• How to spot a genuine AI opportunity (and ignore the hype)
• Making integration work in the messy reality of government IT
• Why internal capability beats reliance on external vendors
• Measuring outcomes in more than just ‘likes’ and ‘clicks’

CRAIG THOMLER
Senior Business Analyst & AI Whisperer, Icon Water

• Cutting through the conundrum of GEN AI ROI
• Establishing measurement possibilities to create clarity of impact

AMRITA SIDHU
Member Board of Directors, AMEC & MD Medianet

12.30 LUNCH AND NETWORKING

• The perils of moving fast in a sector built on caution
• Structuring partnerships without handing over the keys

MODERATOR: TBA

PANEL MEMBERS:

STEVE EREHIRU
Director, ICT, Ministry of Finance and Treasury

PHILIP LONGLEY
Director of Government Relations, Workers Insurance Association of NSW

• Which technologies might endure, and which will fade as fads
• New skill sets public communicators will be forced to acquire
• Anticipating changes in public expectations and tolerance

CRAIG THOMLER
Senior Business Analyst & AI Whisperer, Icon Water

14:40 NETWORKING BREAK & REFRESHMENTS

• The danger of eroding human judgement through over-automation
• Where authenticity cannot be convincingly faked
• The limits of machine empathy in public messaging
• Cultural nuance as a final frontier for AI

TOM FINNIGAN
Founder, Murfin Group

• AI literacy as a baseline skill, not a specialist niche
• Structuring teams to move at the speed of technology
• Change management without the buzzword bingo
• Setting realistic priorities in an environment of constant novelty

• Discover new findings from international research on how
communication professionals are using (and misusing) AI.
• Explore common pitfalls including hallucinations, fake citations, and reputational consequences in public sector contexts.
• Learn a four-stage, research-informed toolkit for fact-checking and editing AI-generated content.
• Leave with a repeatable, evidence-based process you can implement immediately in your team’s workflows.

DR. KAREN SUTHERLAND
Senior Lecturer - Public Relations, UniSC

17.00 CONFERENCE WRAP UP
17.15 CONFERENCE CLOSE, CLOSING DRINKS