AI Integration Transforms Media Coverage At 47th ASEAN Summit
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way journalists work at the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, enabling faster, sharper and more efficient real-time reporting from the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Both local and international media practitioners have embraced AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Turboscribe, Gemini, and automated translation systems to transcribe, summarise and and analyse speeches within minutes.
Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai said the 47th ASEAN Summit marks a significant milestone in newsroom digitalisation, with over 2,000 media personnel from 290 agencies registered, many of whom are actively leveraging AI applications to enhance productivity and output.
“Probably for the first time in history, especially for ASEAN, the use of AI tools like ChatGPT and others has become widespread and it is really good because we are getting quicker analyses and faster transcriptions.
“However, journalist must be cautious and do not fall into plagiarism. AI should be a guide, not a substitute for professional journalism. It can gives ideas and perspectives, but originality and integrity must remain our core values,” he told Bernama here today.
Wong, 64, veteran journalist with four decade of experiences, who has covered numerous ASEAN and international summits, stressed that AI can never replace the role of credible journalists in verifying facts and gathering information on the ground.
The National Journalism Laureate said that the synergy between human judgment and AI efficiency has made media coverage more dynamic and accurate.
“This is probably the first ASEAN Summit where AI has helped us the most. It has sped up story production and improved visual output, but the red flag remains - do not copy. Maintain originality and integrity,” he said.
Timor-Leste National Agency (Tatoli) reporter Digna de Edita Aniceto Serrao said that AI has helped her team manage multilingual content and produce timely updates for their regional audiences.
“Sometime if I don’t understand the words or certain terms, I use AI to translate or summarise lengthy discussions. It does save time, especially with multiple meetings running simultaneously,” she said.
India’s Young Bites newspaper editor-in-chief Vijay Gupta also noted that digital tools have strengthened consistency and broadened the reach of cross-language reporting, ensuring uniform standards across platforms.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Corporate Communication Unit head Zul Izwan Hamzah said that digital tools have facilitated real-time translation and multilingual dissemination of official speeches and documents.
“It enable us to share information faster and maintain consistent reporting standards. But at the end of the day, these are only tools - the human element still matters especially when dealing with different languages,” he said.
This year, Malaysia holds the ASEAN Chairmanship, under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, reflecting its commitment to fostering a united, resilient and forward-looking ASEAN Community.
This marks the fifth time Malaysia has assumed the ASEAN Chair since the bloc’s establishment in 1967, following its previous chairmanships in 2015, 2005, 1997 and 1977.
The 47th ASEAN Summit will gather the leaders of all 10 ASEAN member states as well as key dialogue partners including the United States, China, Japan and South Africa.
-- BERNAMA
