KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 — The media landscape’s transition to a fast-moving digital and AI era must be balanced with knowledge-based methods to face current challenges, said National Journalism Laureate Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.
He said the community still needs the media industry as a source of reference, but it must move in line with digital technological developments.
“The biggest challenge is that the media industry is challenged in its conventional form, so it must be balanced between current technologies with intellectual or thought-led methods and experience.
“We know, all media companies face this problem… But I think it should be handled correctly. We need more media that is responsible with repositioning… old ways (are no longer),” he told Media Selangor when met after the launch of the Viva Poesie individual poetry group by Abdul Ghafar Ibrahim (AGI) at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur here last night.
Johan asserted that AI must be a tool that supports human jobs without sacrificing the ethics, creativity or quality of a job, including in journalism.
The Media Selangor editorial board of advisers chairman added that AI’s ability to quickly generate ideas sparks concerns for negative implications from its misuse and the lack of human values.
“AI technology cannot solve all problems. In journalism, humans make the decisions, not machines. In the end, AI is important to help humans, we are not controlled by AI.
“There is no technology in the world that could replace humans, but because of our excitement for AI, we think AI can solve all of our problems. This is the biggest mistake,” Johan warned.
On Friday, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the ministry is coming up with initiatives to help the nation’s media practitioners face current challenges, including the threat of AI and economic uncertainties.
He said this year’s National Journalist Day (HAWANA) was celebrated at a time when many media practitioners are concerned about their jobs and future.
HAWANA is celebrated on May 29 every year to commemorate the first edition of Utusan Melayu on May 29, 1939, and celebrate media practitioners’ contribution to national development.
