REIMAGINING COMMUNICATION THEORY FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, DIGITAL MEDIA, AND PARTICIPATORY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

The rapid convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital media, and participatory public engagement has fundamentally transformed contemporary communication, challenging assumptions that have traditionally underpinned communication theory. While classical communication theories continue to provide valuable explanations of message transmission, media influence, audience behaviour, innovation diffusion, and democratic participation, they were largely developed within communication environments characterised by human-centred interaction and institutional media systems. The review demonstrates that contemporary communication is increasingly shaped by the reciprocal interaction of human communicators, AI systems, digital platforms, algorithmic infrastructures, and participatory publics, thereby exposing theoretical gaps that individual classical theories cannot adequately explain in isolation. In response, the paper proposes the Artificial Intelligence-Augmented Participatory Communication Framework (AI-APCF) as an integrative conceptual model that redefines communication as an adaptive socio-technical ecosystem governed by continuous interaction, participatory engagement, adaptive feedback, and ethical governance. The framework extends communication scholarship by incorporating algorithmic mediation, AI-enabled communicative agency, and ethical responsibility into mainstream communication theory while preserving the enduring insights of classical theoretical traditions. The paper concludes that the future relevance of communication theory depends on interdisciplinary integration rather than theoretical replacement and recommends empirical validation of the proposed framework across diverse communication contexts.