We live in times characterised by volatile global crises and accelerating digital disruptions, where amalgamation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the dynamics of crisis communication and strategizing poses with possible transformative opportunities while pressing on ethical deterrents. Despite the proliferation of AI tools for sentiment analysis, real-time monitoring and content generation, no existing studies have thoroughly explored their dual impact on empathetic narrative framing and institutional trust-building during crisis management; especially in the Indian market. Addressing this gap, the study explores on how automation is reshaping the practices of Public Relations (PR) industry and Journalism during public crisis. This study advances the theoretical discourse by introducing a hybris human-AI crisis communication framework which is grounded in situational crisis communication theory (SCCT). Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 journalists across entry, mid and senior levels, the research aims at investigating the potential of AI disrupting the navigation process of a public crisis while adhering to the challenges it proposes. The findings reveal a growing dependence on automation for efficiency and scale yet contesting the lack of empathy, cultural insensitivity, misinformation, and erosion of trust that automation brings into the picture. As crisis communication is evolving in this age of digitized communication, the future demands adaptive and critically aware professionals who can balance integrity with an AI enhanced media ecosystem.