Latest news with #MalaysianPressInstitute
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
AI transforms journalism, ethics must guide the future
KUALA LUMPUR: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered the newsroom, transforming how journalists work while raising serious questions about ethics, accuracy and trust. According to Malaysian Press Institute president Datuk Yong Soo Heong (pic), these have been the ethical crossroads confronting today's media landscape. "Falsehoods are costly. Journalistic integrity demands rigorous fact-checking and transparency. "Trust is a journalist's currency and those who mislead readers will inevitably face serious repercussions,' he told Bernama recently. Yong acknowledged the undeniable benefits of AI in boosting newsroom productivity, but stressed that the core values of journalism — the truth, accountability and human judgement — must never be compromised. He also expressed concerns over the increasing reliance on AI-generated content and the alarming rise of deepfakes, warning that if left unchecked, these trends could severely erode public trust in the media. Yong noted that AI had transformed newsroom operations, enabling faster editing, personalised content delivery and more efficient workflows, especially among younger journalists who preferred AI-generated summaries over traditional face-to-face interviews. "Context, tone and human expression are irreplaceable. Only direct engagement captures the nuances that make a story resonate,' he emphasised. He warned that AI-generated visuals had become a new frontier of misinformation, citing several recent incidents in Malaysia and the region involving misleading or doctored imagery. These developments, Yong said, underscore the urgent need for rigorous verification protocols before publishing any content created or enhanced by AI. He emphasised that AI should be seen as a tool for empowerment, not a replacement for human creativity. Echoing these sentiments, Prof Dr Manjit Singh Sidhu, an expert from the College of Computing and Informatics at Universiti Tenaga Nasional, observed that Malaysian media organisations had been integrating AI at varying speeds, depending on their readiness and strategic focus. He said journalists who embraced change and learned to work with AI would not only survive the evolving landscape but also shape the future of trustworthy, meaningful journalism. He suggested news organisations develop and adhere to strict ethical frameworks when using AI, ensuring transparency in how the technology is applied throughout news production. To deepen media practitioners' knowledge of AI technology, Bernama has coordinated five AI training sessions, one each in Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya, Sarawak, Sabah and the East Coast. Meanwhile, recognising the rapid pace of AI advancement, including in journalism, this year's National Journalist Day (Hawana) celebration adopted the theme Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics. When announcing the theme on Tuesday, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the rise of AI had rapidly transformed the gathering, processing and dissemination of information, but emphasised that it must not come at the expense of journalistic ethics. The Hawana 2025 celebration will be held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur from June 13 to 15, with the highlight, its opening on June 14, scheduled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. More than 1,000 media practitioners are expected to attend the event.
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
AI transforms journalism, ethics must guide the future
Yong acknowledges the undeniable benefits of AI in boosting newsroom productivity, but stressed that the core values of journalism, namely truth, accountability and human judgement, must never be compromised. – Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR (June 5): Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered the newsroom, transforming how journalists work while raising serious questions about ethics, accuracy, and trust. According to Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, these have been the ethical crossroads confronting today's media landscape. 'Falsehoods are costly. Journalistic integrity demands rigorous fact-checking and transparency. Trust is a journalist's currency, and those who mislead readers will inevitably face serious repercussions,' he told Bernama recently. Yong acknowledged the undeniable benefits of AI in boosting newsroom productivity, but stressed that the core values of journalism, namely truth, accountability and human judgement, must never be compromised. He also expressed concerns over the increasing reliance on AI-generated content and the alarming rise of deepfakes, warning that, if left unchecked, these trends could severely erode public trust in the media. Yong noted that AI had transformed newsroom operations, enabling faster editing, personalised content delivery, and more efficient workflows, especially among younger journalists who preferred AI-generated summaries over traditional face-to-face interviews. 'Context, tone, and human expression are irreplaceable. Only direct engagement captures the nuances that make a story resonate,' he emphasised. He warned that AI-generated visuals had become a new frontier of misinformation, citing several recent incidents in Malaysia and the region involving misleading or doctored imagery. These developments, Yong said, underscore the urgent need for rigorous verification protocols before publishing any content created or enhanced by AI. He emphasised that AI should be seen as a tool for empowerment, not a replacement for human creativity. Echoing these sentiments, Prof Dr Manjit Singh Sidhu, an expert from the College of Computing and Informatics at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), observed that Malaysian media organisations had been integrating AI at varying speeds, depending on their readiness and strategic focus. He said journalists who embraced change and learned to work with AI would not only survive the evolving landscape but also shape the future of trustworthy, meaningful journalism. He suggested news organisations develop and adhere to strict ethical frameworks when using AI, ensuring transparency in how the technology is applied throughout news production. To deepen media practitioners' knowledge of AI technology, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) has coordinated five AI training sessions, one each in Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya, Sarawak, Sabah and the East Coast. Meanwhile, recognising the rapid pace of AI advancement, including in journalism, this year's National Journalist Day (Hawana) celebration had adopted the theme Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, when announcing the theme on Tuesday, said the rise of AI had rapidly transformed the gathering, processing and dissemination of information, but emphasised that it must not come at the expense of journalistic ethics. The Hawana 2025 celebration will be held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur WTC KL) from June 13 to 15, with the highlight, its opening on June 14, scheduled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. More than 1,000 media practitioners, locals and from abroad, are expected to attend the event, organised by the Communications Ministry with Bernama as the implementing agency. AI ethics Hawana Manjit Singh Sidhu MPI Yong Soo Heong
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Google-MPI collaboration empowers AI use in journalism
KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has welcomed a collaborative project between Google and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) aimed at enhancing local journalists' understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) use in the field. He said the 'AI Literacy for Journalists' initiative could help improve journalists' understanding of ethical AI usage in their writing, given that the technology is becoming increasingly prevalent across various sectors, including journalism. 'This was one of my requests to Google, as AI is talked about a lot these days. But as we've seen recently, when AI is used, we need to understand both its strengths and limitations. 'We cannot rely entirely on AI for journalistic tasks. Still, I believe AI can become like the pen and notebook for journalists in the future,' he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of Project Sigma here today. Fahmi expressed hope that the initiative would help journalists hone their skills, boost professionalism and better prepare them for the challenges of a media landscape shaped by emerging technologies. On Project Sigma, which aims to explore new approaches to information delivery for Gen Z, Fahmi suggested that the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute (IPPTAR) collaborate with Google to extend the project to other agencies and organisations. He said this was important because the needs and behaviours of today's audiences, especially the younger generation, are changing and demand new ways of content delivery. 'Although Sigma focuses on media organisations, any department or agency with an audience must understand that those audiences are also evolving,' he said. Fahmi said the 10-week Project Sigma, a joint initiative by the Communications Ministry and Google, involved multiple media organisations in different languages, including REV Media (Media Prima), Astro Awani, Sin Chew Daily, Malaysiakini, FT Strategies as well as Google's News Partnerships teams for the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Fahmi also expressed appreciation for Google's collaboration on the project and affirmed the ministry's commitment to reviewing the modules developed so they can be adopted by more parties in the future. At the same time, he reminded stakeholders not to overlook the needs of other generations such as Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers, as each group has different preferences and media consumption habits.
Barnama
27-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Google- Collaboration Empowers AI Use In Journalism
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has welcomed a collaborative project between Google and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) aimed at enhancing local journalists' understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) use in the field. He said the 'AI Literacy for Journalists' initiative could help improve journalists' understanding of ethical AI usage in their writing, given that the technology is becoming increasingly prevalent across various sectors, including journalism. 'This was one of my requests to Google, as AI is talked about a lot these days. But as we've seen recently, when AI is used, we need to understand both its strengths and limitations. 'We cannot rely entirely on AI for journalistic tasks. Still, I believe AI can become like the pen and notebook for journalists in the future,' he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of Project Sigma here today. Fahmi expressed hope that the initiative would help journalists hone their skills, boost professionalism and better prepare them for the challenges of a media landscape shaped by emerging technologies. On Project Sigma, which aims to explore new approaches to information delivery for Gen Z, Fahmi suggested that the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute (IPPTAR) collaborate with Google to extend the project to other agencies and organisations. He said this was important because the needs and behaviours of today's audiences, especially the younger generation, are changing and demand new ways of content delivery. 'Although Sigma focuses on media organisations, any department or agency with an audience must understand that those audiences are also evolving,' he said. Fahmi said the 10-week Project Sigma, a joint initiative by the Communications Ministry and Google, involved multiple media organisations in different languages, including REV Media (Media Prima), Astro Awani, Sin Chew Daily, Malaysiakini, FT Strategies as well as Google's News Partnerships teams for the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia regions.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Keeping media standards high
Yong says the sponsorship will also be spent on upskill training for media personnel, the corporate sector and government agencies. A total of 548 entries have been received from media practitioners vying for recognition in Malaysia's journalism awards. Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) said there were a total of 60 entries more than the previous year. Fifty-eight media organisations from all over the country, including Sabah and Sarawak, are participating in MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2024, which will be held in conjunction with a media night in Kuala Lumpur on June 20. MPI chief executive officer Ainol Amriz Ismail said the event had garnered up to RM1.25mil in sponsorship, with PETRONAS putting in RM450,000 as the main sponsor for award night prizes. The media practitioners are competing in both traditional and emerging media formats, comprising 21 categories including environmental, social and governance (ESG) journalism, radio broadcasting, podcasting, video documentary work, live streaming, and investigative reporting. For the media night, MPI collaborated with Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and received RM799,500 in sponsorship from 51 organisations, including corporate entities, ministries, government agencies, and media organisations. 'The total amount of sponsorships is 15% more than last year,' Ainol Amriz said during a sponsors appreciation event in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 'The number of organisations has also increased, from only 22 last year. 'The increase is a sign of confidence in MPI,' he added. A town hall on how corporations, government agencies, and sponsors could obtain opportunities for coverage in the media was also held during the event attended by 130 representatives of 41 organisations. MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong, in a press conference after the event, said sponsorship for the awards had several main selling points. 'One is to be able to attend a function where the best in Malaysian media will be in the same room. 'Sponsors will be able to mingle with the editors, chief editors and reporters to get to know how they work. 'They can improve their ways when it comes to interacting with the media to achieve higher visibility. 'It is also a prestigious event. This year, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will be attending the event,' he said. Yong said the money received from sponsors would also go towards upskill training, not only for journalists but also those working in corporate and government agencies. 'What you see today is not just a form of contribution and encouragement. 'It is also a sign of lasting friendship which has taken time to build,' said Yong, adding that MPI had been receiving support for its awards night for the past 45 years. Some 1,000 guests are expected to attend the awards night. To mark the occasion, a coffee-table book detailing the generosity of its major sponsors and featuring the work of former journalists will be one of the souvenirs.
