“Artificial intelligence can't replace journalists in media; it can only support them. Thus, a human being is superior to machines,” representatives of European news agencies emphasized during the European News Agencies Association (EANA) conference themed "News Agencies Using AI for Business & Journalism," held in Lisbon, Portugal.
Organized by the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, the function was attended by heads and representatives of national news agencies of European countries, including AZERTAC.
During the conference, experts explored current practical and theoretical knowledge about the role of artificial intelligence in news production and distribution, highlighting both the positive and negative effects of AI in news making. They noted that generative artificial intelligence offers numerous opportunities for newsrooms, enhancing productivity and innovation by preparing texts in original and innovative forms, creating photos and videos from texts, providing feedback on photos, and converting speech into text. Additionally, AI can improve workflow efficiency by freeing journalists from repetitive tasks, allowing them more time to be creative.
However, the speakers also discussed the risks posed by generative artificial intelligence, such as the spread of fake news—a longstanding issue in the media landscape. They also addressed threats like discrimination, manipulation of public opinion, loss of transparency, and the reliability of sources caused by AI.
The agencies emphasized the need for more research projects to manage these risks, advocating for a clearer understanding of the pros and cons of today's technology. They also stressed the importance of considering ethical principles when designing and implementing AI systems, noting that “artificial intelligence should not cause global copyright infringement.”
As part of the CEPIC Congress 2024, photos from EANA member news agencies, including AZERTAC, were put on display in the “Image Authenticity in the Age of AI – 32 best photos from 32 EANA news agencies” exhibition.
