Albanian Premier Suggests AI Could Run Government Ministry In Future
Speaking at a gathering in the southern city of Berat with representatives from technology, innovation and entrepreneurship sectors, Rama said AI has the potential to significantly boost transparency and efficiency within public administration.
'Very soon, artificial intelligence could become the most efficient member of the government,' Rama said. 'One day, we might even have a ministry entirely run by AI. That way, there would be no nepotism or conflicts of interest.'
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New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
AI search pushing an already weakened media industry to the brink
GENERATIVE artificial intelligence assistants like ChatGPT are cutting into traditional online search traffic, depriving news sites of visitors and impacting the advertising revenue they desperately need, in a crushing blow to an industry fighting for survival. "The next three or four years will be incredibly challenging for publishers everywhere. No one is immune from the AI summaries storm gathering on the horizon," said Matt Karolian, vice-president of research and development at Boston Globe Media. "Publishers need to build their own shelters or risk being swept away." While data remains limited, a recent Pew Research Centre study shows that AI-generated summaries now appearing regularly in Google searches discourage users from clicking through to source articles. When AI summaries are present, users click on suggested links half as often compared with traditional searches. This represents a devastating loss of visitors for online media sites that depend on traffic for advertising revenue and subscription conversions. According to Northeastern University Professor John Wihbey, these trends "will accelerate, and pretty soon, we will have an entirely different web". The dominance of tech giants like Google and Meta had slashed online media advertising revenue, forcing publishers to pivot toward paid subscriptions. But Wihbey said that subscriptions also depend on traffic, and paying subscribers alone aren't sufficient to support major media organisations. The Boston Globe group has begun seeing subscribers sign up through ChatGPT, offering a new touchpoint with potential readers, Karolian said. However, "these remain incredibly modest compared with other platforms, including even smaller search engines". To survive what many see as an inevitable shift, media companies are increasingly adopting GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) — a technique that replaces traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). This involves providing AI models with clearly labelled content, good structure, comprehensible text and strong presence on social networks and forums like Reddit that get crawled by AI companies. But a fundamental question remains: "Should you allow OpenAI crawlers to crawl your website and your content?" asks Thomas Peham, CEO of optimisation startup OtterlyAI. Burned by aggressive data collection from major AI companies, many news publishers have chosen to fight back by blocking AI crawlers from accessing their content. Some progress has been made on this front. Licensing agreements have emerged between major players, such as the New York Times and Amazon, Google and Associated Press, and Mistral and Agence France-Presse. But the issue is far from resolved, as major legal battles are underway, most notably the New York Times' suit against OpenAI and Microsoft. Publishers face a dilemma: blocking AI crawlers protects their content but reduces exposure to potential new readers. Faced with this challenge, "media leaders are increasingly choosing to reopen access", Peham observed. Yet even with open access, success isn't guaranteed. According to OtterlyAI data, media outlets represent just 29 per cent of citations offered by ChatGPT, trailing corporate websites at 36 per cent. And while Google search has traditionally privileged sources recognised as reliable, "we don't see this with ChatGPT", Peham said. The stakes extend beyond business models. According to the Reuters Institute's 2025 Digital News Report, about 15 per cent of people under 25 use generative AI to get their news. Given questions about AI sourcing and reliability, this trend risks confusing readers about information origins and credibility, much like social media did before it. "At some point, someone has to do the reporting," Karolian said. "Without original journalism, none of these AI platforms would have anything to summarise."
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
PM Anwar's four wins as Asean Chair, according to veteran Thai journalist
BANGKOK: (Bernama) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's (pic) success in mediating a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, which resulted in an immediate halt to armed clashes along their disputed border, was hailed as a major diplomatic victory. The courageous and decisive move by the Malaysian premier has not only strengthened his position as a political leader and effective Asean Chair, but also elevated the regional bloc's profile on the global stage. Veteran Thai journalist and regional affairs commentator Kavi Chongkittavorn said when tensions escalated into artillery exchanges between the two neighbouring countries last month, Anwar seized the moment in his capacity as Asean Chair and emerged as a statesman on the regional stage. In an article titled "Four Wins For Asean Chair Anwar" published on Thai PBS World, Kavi said the Malaysian Prime Minister scored four wins with his decisive step to help de-escalate the ongoing tension between the two neighbours. The first win he noted was that Anwar, leveraging his position as Asean Chair, stepped up to act as a mediator, projecting himself as Southeast Asia's peacemaker. He attributed the second win to Anwar's ability to turn the crisis into an opportunity to boost Asean's centrality and relevance. "Major powers often ridicule Asean as a talk shop without action. The ceasefire deal - which still holds - changed that narrative. "Anwar used his chairmanship to show Asean could broker peace when it mattered. "He didn't just convene meetings; he actively facilitated the entire process. "The message is clear: Asean is performing a somersault. It just needs decisive leadership,' Kavi said. Veteran Thai journalist and regional affairs commentator Kavi Chongkittavorn. He said the Malaysian premier's third win was succeeding to not only break the deadlock of the armed clashes, but also to convince Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to come to Kuala Lumpur for an unprecedented face-to-face direct dialogue. For the record, previous confrontations from 2008 to 2011 saw Thailand completely decline Asean's invitation for mediation talks. The fourth win was balancing the two major powers and important players for Asean - the United States (US) and China, and most remarkably, engaging them to witness the ceasefire talks. "These superpowers rarely collaborate on anything these days. Yet both sent envoys to support the Asean chair's initiative. "Both powers were present, but neither dominated - exactly what Asean wanted,' he said. Anwar's balancing act was particularly impressive, given his recent regular vitriol against Washington. He has been vocal about Gaza (more so than Indonesia), criticising both Israeli and US policies. Kavi said this extraordinary achievement shows what Asean can achieve with active, credible leadership. "After all, Anwar is an old and astute Asean hand. Truth be told, Anwar understood this perfectly. "He saw that regional dynamics and global shifts had created an opening. He seized it with both hands,' he wrote. For Asean, Kavi said the crisis reminds us that actions speak louder than words, and louder than all the annual joint communiqués. "For Anwar, it is proof that skilled diplomacy can transform political fortunes. For the region, it is hoped that Asean-led solutions can still work in Trump's world,' he added. Kavi's full article can be read at . - Bernama
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Anwar calls for deeper appreciation of Asian history, free from colonial narratives
Anwar at the launch of the 'More Than A Day As A Tiger' exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. – Bernama --fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for a deeper appreciation of Asian history that moves beyond colonial narratives, citing Tipu Sultan of Mysore, an Indian ruler who fought against the British East India Company as a model of courage, learning and tolerance. He said that the contributions of Tipu Sultan and his father Haider Ali, as defenders against British colonial expansion, exemplified the importance of understanding history from the perspective of local and regional leaders rather than solely from Western accounts. "History is not necessarily very kind, one of our scholars Syed Hussein Alatas emphasised the need to reconstruct history because history cannot be written only by the winners or from the perspective of the colonial rulers," he said during the launch of the "More Than A Day As A Tiger" exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, here on Tuesday (Aug 5) night. Also present were the Prime Minister's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Albukhary Foundation chairman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary; Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai and his spouse, as well as representatives from embassies and consulates. Anwar noted that Malaysian history, like that of many others, is often written from the perspective of the British, essentially reflecting Western colonial rule. "Of course, there have been lots of academic accounts, including by Edward Said on Orientalism, but the manner, the whole discipline of history, culture and society is being dictated by certain Western viewpoints," he said. Anwar also shared his personal experience visiting Mysore before taking office, recalling his admiration for Tipu Sultan's modest palace and his protection of Hindu temples, including the ancient temple there. He also praised Tipu Sultan's foresight in mastering military technology to confront colonial powers, citing the Mysore Sultanate's renowned cannons and firearms that had shocked the British in the early wars. "It is not just an ordinary exhibition, but to showcase the history of India and the Muslim world, and the history of the anti-colonial struggle against colonial rule, in this particular case, the British rule. "His diplomatic skills with the few sultanates, Muslims and Hindus in India and his venture into international diplomacy, particularly in persuading the French forces to support his struggle against the British," he said. Anwar noted that while Malaysians have historically had limited knowledge of Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali's legacy, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia's exhibition would significantly enhance understanding about the two historical figures. Featuring an extensive collection of artefacts, manuscripts, weaponry and artworks related to Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, the exhibition will run from tomorrow until Jan 11, 2026, at Special Gallery 2. – Bernama
