MNU HOSTED II ANNUAL MEDIA FORUM ON JOURNALISM AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

On December 5, the second annual Media Forum, organised by the European Delegation and the International School of Journalism, was held at MAQSUT NARIKBAYEV UNIVERSITY. The Forum’s topic was: Enhancing Journalism: Navigating the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Information Manipulation. Talgat Narikbayev, Chairman of the Board of Maqsut Narikbayev University, delivered a welcoming speech, highlighting the importance of journalism ethics in establishing a transparent society:

“The topics of this forum align with our belief that informed and ethical journalism is essential for a healthy and transparent society. We are convinced that advancing journalistic practices and countering misinformation are critical steps toward fostering public trust and protecting democratic values”, — he said.

Panel sessions

In the first panel session, speakers Martyna Bildziukiewicz, Linas Skirius, Karla Jamankulova and Assel Kozhakova discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in spreading disinformation and highlighted the controversial results of using AI in journalism. Although AI provides tools to counter disinformation, its use is accompanied by ethical and operational challenges. The speakers emphasised that cooperation between industries is a prerequisite for building sustainable communities resistant to manipulation and misinformation. Meanwhile, journalists and fact-checkers remain the backbone of robust information ecosystems, whereas new technologies must be implemented in accordance with the highest ethical standards.

During the second panel session, experts discussed the impact of AI on the work of a journalist. Thomas Regnier, Sylwia Czubkowska, Gulmira Brimzhanova and Duman Smakov participated in the discussion, focusing on the benefits and risks of using AI in journalism. Additionally, they discussed the ways of adapting media to the new technological realities.

As part of the Forum, the European Delegation and MNU held a collaborative exhibition. This project featured images created using AI and involved a wide range of participants: A Digital Content Author, Bakdaulet Bekzhanov, MNU students and EU embassies.

The two training sessions became the significant part of the event. The first session was dedicated to the ways of dealing with contemporary information manipulation. It was conducted by Linas Skirius, Co-founder of the Civil Resilience (CR) Initiative and a trainer for media. The training focused on the role of modern researchers and how AI and open source tools are transforming approaches to countering disinformation. Participants learned about the latest AI solutions that help fact-checkers verify news, images, and videos.

The second training was conducted by Vitali Ruhain, Head of Innovation at Free Press for Eastern Europe, journalist, editor, SMM specialist and AI application expert for editorial offices. Participants discussed the ways AI can improve the efficiency of journalists’ work and make their content more impressive and engaging. The speaker also outlined important aspects of collaborating with AI, such as the opportunities and limitations this technology provides for the media.

At the end of the forum, the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aleška Simkić, delivered a speech. She noted that at the moment, the EU’s priority is to combat the spread of disinformation and humanity must continue to advance technologies despite the challenges. The Ambassador expressed her gratitude to Talgat Narikbayev and the International School of Journalism for their assistance in organising the event and presented diplomas and gifts.

We would also like to remind you that in 2023, the MNU International School of Journalism was opened jointly with the TV and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Currently, the School trains future journalists in two educational programmes: International Journalism and Analytics and Investigation. The main feature of the School is its practice-oriented approach, which allows students to have access to professional equipment and recording studios from the 1st year of study.