President Ali emphasises the need for a common approach to AI to ensure professional, ethical conduct in the media

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has emphasised the necessity of a shared approach to artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure professional and ethical conduct in the media.

He made the remarks during a World Press Freedom Day brunch at State House in Georgetown, on Saturday.

The president spoke about how the media’s role is evolving and how urgently it has to be redefined, stressing how crucial it is to comprehend its structure and purpose.

He emphasised how critical it is to recognise the global reset mode, pointing out how it affects the media and the necessity of adapting now more than ever.

He also questioned who constitutes the media and the significance of reach, responsibility, reliability and relevance.

“Who is more relevant – someone who can meet 300 million people in a second or someone that can meet 3,000 persons in a day? These are very important questions. The ones who might be reaching 300 million people might have the reach but are they responsible and reliable? So, how do we manage this when the speed, accuracy, reliability and relevance go at odds with each other?” he questioned.

The timeliness and accuracy of information dissemination were then questioned by President Ali.

He raised concerns about artificial intelligence in the media as it develops, particularly when speed and accuracy are valued more highly than morality.

President Ali also emphasised the impact of AI on media ethics and the role of influencers.

“It does not require intellectualism or professionalism to define the message anymore. You have the reach. You have the capability and capacity. You, then, have the intellectual ability of using a tool that requires limited thinking to do whatever you want to do. Is there anything we can do about it? Very little at the moment. In every competition, you want to win. If you don’t adopt, you would lose, it is brutal but it is the truth,” the president underlined.

To guarantee professional and ethical conduct, he underlined the necessity of a shared approach to AI and the significance of policies, regulations, and legislations to control it.

He asserted that this battle over who constitutes the embodiment of the media is a key issue.

“But can you survive if you don’t adopt? These are key questions. How do we ensure in this environment of AI that we pursue a path, and for CARICOM, I am positioning that we pursue a common path – we do not have the individual capacity to do this – that would look at the intellectual and professional conduct of AI?” he said.

According to President Ali, policymakers should examine the opportunities, threats, and opportunities presented by AI as well as the laws and regulations that would guarantee that it doesn’t go uncheck.

“If we don’t do it, it is a ticking time bomb. If we don’t ensure that AI is utilised especially when it comes to the press and information dissemination. Information is so powerful because it can destabilise instantaneously with very little time to respond,” he pointed out.

Media personnels, the president said, need to be fully aware of the changing environment since there are different types of leaders with different styles and priorities.

He mentioned that the way leaders choose to disseminate information is completely different from conventional ways. Today, many leaders would interact with the media in public where three are other contributors to the conversation.

The president further added that everyone understands the changing nature of information dissemination, information access and information availability.

“What is the truth? Do facts even have a role to play anymore in this race for information? Does Science even have a role anymore? If information disseminators are not relying on facts, science, and those things. They are more interested in that reach and impact and getting there first. Then, certain things will be sacrificed…” President Ali underscored.

He then spotlighted that there are facts-driven news, preference-driven news, and personal opinion-driven news.

He highlighted that, within the next 12 months, Guyana must have a well-defined framework for artificial intelligence and digitisation in all areas of public and national life.

“We as a country must have, within the twelve months, a clearly defined framework for AI and digitisation in every sphere of national life [and] every sphere of public life. Because it is going to drive national and public life in ways that we have never seen before,” he said.

He also revealed that, “I would be officially presenting to my colleagues in CARICOM at the next meeting a paper that I want to develop on the evolving definition of the media.”

9This will help to mitigate the spread of misinformation and AI-generated content.

This year, World Press Freedom Day is themed, ‘Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.’

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, government ministers, members from the diplomatic community and media fraternity were also in attendance.