By Bruno de Sá*
The Global Media Congress brought experts, scholars, authorities, and company representatives from around the world to Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, from November 14 to 16, 2023. Under the theme “Shaping the future of the media industry,” topics such as sustainability, innovation, the latest technologies in media, sports media, and youth and the future of media were discussed.
A trending subject, the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the media and journalism, was highlighted in the lectures, panels, and workshops during the three days of the event.
At the opening, through AI, historical figures from the media were brought to the stage to interact with real people. One of them was Johannes Gutenberg, who is considered the father of printing. He developed the first printing machine with movable types, the typography, around 1439. The opening also featured co-hosts Charles and Jameela, chatbots that interacted with the presenters.
The minister of state for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications of the UAE, Omar Sultan Al Olama, brought important reflections on the topic, such as the projection that AI-generated content will dominate more than 90% of the internet by 2026. The minister also highlighted that his country was the first to create a ministry for AI in 2017.
At the same time, Al Olama and other speakers highlighted that media professionals should not worry about the replacement of human functions with AI, reinforcing their role as catalytic agents in the generation of innovative and creative content, as well as a mediator with critical and analytical thinking and central figures in controlling the narratives for the final audience.
Another point raised was the danger that the inappropriate use of AI could cause to society, as it is also necessary for the media to increasingly focus on becoming a respectable and reliable source of trustworthy information, combating fake news.
The event also opened up space for sustainability and concerns related to climate change. The discussions highlighted the importance of evolving the role of environmental media, especially with the upcoming 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates.
Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) and ADNEC’s Capital Events, the second edition of the Congress received nearly 24,000 visitors – expanding from the 13,000 in the previous year. There was also an increase in participating countries, with 172, 31 of which participated for the first time.
*Bruno de Sá is the Digital Marketing coordinator of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and is part of the Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA) social media team. Sá traveled to the Global Media Congress at the invitation of the Emirates News Agency (WAM), ANBA’s partner news agency.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
