Al Jazeera’s ‘AI in Media’ conference highlights future of journalism

Doha, Qatar: Al Jazeera s second AI in Media Conference kicked off yesterday, showcasing how technologies such as deep fakes, automated content crea...

Doha, Qatar: Al Jazeera’s second 'AI in Media Conference' kicked off yesterday, showcasing how technologies such as deep fakes, automated content creation, and digital human assistants are reshaping media production, all the while sparking concerns about the ethical challenges that come with the powerful technology.

The two-day conference, held at the Sheraton Doha Hotel and organized by Al Jazeera Media institute, was attended by a curated group of experts and specialists. The event opened with a chilling demonstration where the audience watched a deep fake video of the speaker of the event, Ahmed Fakhouri, talking directly to them.

The speaker later took the lead of the conversation, immediately illustrating both the power and potential dangers of AI technology in Media.The demonstration set the stage and tone for the following discussions on AI’s role in journalism, bringing together global technology leaders, media executives, and AI pioneers.

Dr. Mostega Souag, Acting Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network, frames the conference’s mission with a stark reminder on AI’s impact on the media sector. He states: “We fully realize that AI is not like any other technological tool journalism has benefitted from throughout the years, but rather it is a profound transformation that affects the present and future of journalism, and places us before enormous responsibilities.”He further relays a measured approach to AI adoption while highlighting Al Jazeera’s commitment to prioneering new technologies in a responsible way: “We must all realize that there are major challenges and risks within these important opportunities that AI provides to journalism.”