Speaking Monday at a ceremony marking Journalists’ Day at the Research Institute of the Petroleum Industry, Ghadousi referred to Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad’s several-hour visit to the SHANA news agency on Journalists’ Day, saying the visit sent a clear message about the strategic importance the ministry’s top management places on public relations and media.

Ghadousi said the minister’s broader policies emphasize the need to establish a more systematic public relations structure and develop executive regulations. He said the ministry’s public relations regulations have been finalized and are expected to be formally issued and implemented across the oil industry soon.

He described the use of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, as an important way to accelerate information dissemination and data management. AI, he said, should be used across the oil industry’s public relations operations as an assistive tool to make content production smarter and improve the quality of communications.

Ghadousi also called for specialized AI training courses across the oil industry, saying the technology should play a greater complementary role in media production and that public relations professionals need to develop the skills required to use AI accurately, effectively and purposefully.

He said the oil industry also needs to change the way it identifies and develops news topics. There are gaps in smart and proactive subject identification, he said, adding that traditional approaches should give way to more analytical methods and active news gathering.

News writing, Ghadousi said, should not be limited to written content. Diversifying media formats and developing new skills to produce multimedia and varied content are essential requirements for media operations in today’s environment.

He concluded by stressing the need for closer cooperation between the oil industry’s public relations offices and media organizations. Removing existing obstacles and improving coordination among different public relations units, he said, can enhance the quality of information dissemination and ensure more effective coverage of the oil industry’s activities.