AJMI - Doha

The Al Jazeera AI in Media Conference, organized by the Al Jazeera Media Institute, concluded on Sunday, January 12, at the Sheraton Hotel in Doha. The event brought together a distinguished group of media and technology experts, as well as a large audience of AI specialists and enthusiasts who engaged in dynamic discussions about the latest developments in the field.

On the second day of the conference, two panel discussion sessions were held. The first session, titled “AI in Newsrooms: Pioneering Experiences,” showcased how AI tools are being used in journalism, with successful examples from global media organizations such as Reuters, The Washington Post, Associated Press, and No Border News. The session aimed to highlight the importance of integrating AI and modern technologies in journalism and how AI can enhance journalistic performance and media practices.

The session was moderated by journalist Sandra Gathmann and featured speakers Troy Thibodeaux, Product and AI Services Manager at the Associated Press; David Wilkinson, Executive Director of Reuters IMAGN; Joey Marburger, Vice President of AI for Content at Arc XP (The Washington Post); and Takashi Uesugi, CEO of No Border and a journalist and entrepreneur.

The second day also presented research projects under the Al Jazeera Fellowship Program, dedicated to studying the impact of AI on journalism and the challenges posed by increasing reliance on AI, as well as the opportunities it offers for the future of journalistic practices.

The research presentations included:
    •    “Using AI to Fact-Check Misinformation During the 2023 Gaza War” by researcher Bakr Abdel Haq.
    •    “Evaluating AI in Political News Production: AI-Generated News as a Case Study” by researcher Kawthar Saleh.
    •    “Leveraging AI in Data Journalism” by researcher Bassam Al-Shamiri.

The session was moderated by journalist Mohammed Khmaisah, an editor at the Al Jazeera Media Institute.

The final session, moderated by anchor Rawaa Augé, was titled “Challenges of Using AI in Media” and examined the profound impact of AI on journalism from an academic perspective. It shed light on issues such as algorithmic bias and its influence on journalistic values and ethics.

The discussion also addressed the challenges that media may face in the future due to the use of AI in content creation and dissemination, emphasizing the importance of tackling cybersecurity issues and enhancing educational and training frameworks to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

The session’s panelists included Giles Trendle, journalist and former managing director of Al Jazeera English; Dr. Marc Owen Jones, Associate Professor at Northwestern University – Qatar, specializing in media analysis, disinformation campaigns, and digital authoritarianism; Dr. Amani Al-Abd, Assistant Professor at Doha University of Science and Technology; Dr. Reema Diab, founder and CEO of Galaxy for Technology; and Abdulrahman Al-Shafi, Director of Cybersecurity Strategy and Policy at Qatar’s National Cybersecurity Agency.

As part of the conference activities, the Al Jazeera Media Institute organized two workshops. The first, led by Abran Maldonado, an OpenAI ambassador, provided participants with hands-on experiences using innovative tools such as multimedia video platforms, AI agents, and advanced video editing platforms. The second workshop, led by Mohamed Ajaz from Al Jazeera Network, focused on how AI is utilized within Al Jazeera, highlighting opportunities for its use and ways to mitigate associated risks.

The conference also featured a technology exhibition that showcased several companies specializing in AI-based product and service development, offering attendees an up-close look at the latest technological innovations in the field.

The Al Jazeera AI in Media Conference served as an important platform for experts and specialists in the field of artificial intelligence to share their experiences, present their insights, and showcase pioneering examples from leading global media organizations that have integrated AI into their operations over the past several years.