Sharjah: The Sharjah Press Club has hosted key sessions at the 13th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) 2024, exploring the future of journalism in the age of artificial intelligence and robotics. The central theme was robotic journalism, with experts discussing how AI technologies are transforming traditional news production.
The sessions were conducted as three parts each discussing about the major factors that are evolving around the journalism. The first session was about Storytelling: Human Communication in the Digital Age.
During the session, media professionals delved into the significance of storytelling in media and its role in effective information delivery. They explored methods for utilizing storytelling in the digital age and discussed how governments can leverage social media for narrative purposes. Additionally, they highlighted tools and techniques for crafting compelling digital stories for government use.
The second roundtable session “Robotic Journalism”: When Machines Write the News addressed the increasing use of robots and AI in news writing and their role in transforming traditional journalism.
The third session was a debate titled “Radio in the Age of Podcasts – Integration or Competition?”. The discussion explored the connection between podcasts and radio, including how podcasts impact traditional radio and how both formats can enhance audience engagement by complementing each other. It also addressed the reliability of podcasts as an information source in comparison to traditional radio and examined the influence of AI technology on both mediums.
Panelists discussed both the benefits and challenges of AI in media. While AI can streamline news creation, there are concerns about its potential to blur lines between human and machine-generated content, risking public trust.
These sessions reflect the growing recognition that, while AI offers exciting possibilities for journalism, maintaining ethical standards and human oversight will be crucial to its responsible integration into the media landscape.