KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has welcomed a collaborative project between Google and the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) aimed at enhancing local journalists’ understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) use in the field.
He said the ‘AI Literacy for Journalists’ initiative could help improve journalists’ understanding of ethical AI usage in their writing, given that the technology is becoming increasingly prevalent across various sectors, including journalism.
“This was one of my requests to Google, as AI is talked about a lot these days. But as we’ve seen recently, when AI is used, we need to understand both its strengths and limitations.
“We cannot rely entirely on AI for journalistic tasks. Still, I believe AI can become like the pen and notebook for journalists in the future,” he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of Project Sigma here today.
Fahmi expressed hope that the initiative would help journalists hone their skills, boost professionalism and better prepare them for the challenges of a media landscape shaped by emerging technologies.
On Project Sigma, which aims to explore new approaches to information delivery for Gen Z, Fahmi suggested that the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute (IPPTAR) collaborate with Google to extend the project to other agencies and organisations.
He said this was important because the needs and behaviours of today’s audiences, especially the younger generation, are changing and demand new ways of content delivery.
“Although Sigma focuses on media organisations, any department or agency with an audience must understand that those audiences are also evolving,” he said.
Fahmi said the 10-week Project Sigma, a joint initiative by the Communications Ministry and Google, involved multiple media organisations in different languages, including REV Media (Media Prima), Astro Awani, Sin Chew Daily, Malaysiakini, FT Strategies as well as Google’s News Partnerships teams for the Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia regions.
Fahmi also expressed appreciation for Google’s collaboration on the project and affirmed the ministry’s commitment to reviewing the modules developed so they can be adopted by more parties in the future.
At the same time, he reminded stakeholders not to overlook the needs of other generations such as Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers, as each group has different preferences and media consumption habits.
