Journalists from Asia, Europe discuss resilience amid AI use

BANGKOK —Twenty-two journalists from across Asia and Europe gathered here to tackle how journalism may remain responsive to rapid changes including the accelerated evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and various challenges to their well-being and professional integrity.

The Asia-Europe Foundation organized its 15th ASEF Journalists’ Seminar held from Sept. 14 to 17.

Journalists from The STAR and from Thailand, Myanmar, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, France, Finland, Vietnam, Ireland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Malaysia and China, took part in the four-day seminar that focused on the theme “Journalistic resilience in a volatile world.”

The event emphasized the growing use of AI in both mainstream and independent settings in journalism, safety issues, the physical, mental and financial stability of journalists and handling trauma, among others.

Insights shared by participants during the seminar include their belief that verification and accuracy remain essential elements of journalism, no matter how times change.

‘Cope with challenges’

At the start of the seminar, ASEF executive director Beata Stoczy?ska encouraged the participants to exchange ideas on how to “better cope with the challenges of today, notably volatility” or rapid change.

“Volatility is no longer an occasional disruption to the news cycle. It is the real environment in which journalists now work,” Stoczy?ska said in her speech.

Among the issues currently facing journalists are geopolitical tensions, growing disengagement of news consumers, and the advanced rise of AI in both news gathering and the spread of misinformation, she said.

Reuters Southeast Asia senior correspondent Panu Wongcha-um emphasized the need for journalists to “double down on fact-checking” and exercise transparency amid a rise in threats to journalism caused by ongoing geopolitical issues.

Wongcha-um said, nowadays, access to information becomes more controlled by those in power, particularly depriving legitimate journalists of accreditation.

Despite such challenge, Wongcha-um – also president of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand – maintained journalists must “understand their environment and their audience,” which he described as “a rising tide,” and “not move away from what we do.”

AI, trauma handling

On the other hand, technology-based The Newsroom founders Jenny Romano and Pedro Henriques introduced to participants existing AI tools that they can use to help simplify various tasks including news gathering, transcription of interviews, archive generation and verification.

However, Romano stressed that it is important for journalists using AI tools to “always ask for citations,” while Henriques warned “increasing speed” especially in delivering the news “affects trust value in the news.”

Journalists must understand that they are “entering a dangerous space” online, where they can get hit with hate, discrimination and even threats while carrying out their work, according to journalism, cyber security and well-being expert Amantha Perrera.

Perrera suggested journalists can do an “audit” of their posts on social media, which he said could become a target of manipulation by netizens and a possible source of trauma.

In his closing remarks, Thailand’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi emphasized the need for journalists to “earn public trust... through accuracy, equity, fairness and responsibility.”