Journalists across Asia debate how to use AI without losing credibility
Educators and media professionals at a regional journalism forum in Kuala Lumpur agreed on one point: AI is a tool for journalists, not a replacement for them. The debate centered on how newsrooms should integrate the technology while maintaining editorial standards and public trust.
Sabariah Mohamed Salleh, a media literacy researcher at Malaysia's National University, acknowledged her initial nervousness about AI in journalism. "Journalism is about making complex information simple and accessible. AI can help us do that," she said.
She outlined practical uses: organizing schedules, analyzing data, summarizing documents. But she drew a clear line on responsibility. "If we publish anything, it's the editor who bears responsibility. AI won't be sued for libel. The publisher will."
The stakes became concrete when she described an environmental article that included fabricated details because an AI-generated draft lacked proper human review. "This shows why human oversight is still critical," she said.
Salleh stressed that audiences must know when content is AI-generated. Recent cases of undisclosed AI-produced stories have damaged trust. "Labelling is essential to maintain trust," she said.
Thailand's cautionary example
Chavarong Limpattamapanee, president of Thailand's National Press Council, shared a cautionary tale. A public broadcaster generated AI images for a Songkran festival promotion featuring "beautiful girls playing with water." The images had distorted hands and unnatural features that sparked public backlash.
The broadcaster failed to disclose that the images were AI-generated, intensifying criticism. "As a public broadcaster, you should have more responsibility than other media," Chavarong said.
He noted that AI has moved beyond experimental use. Thai newsrooms now use it to summarize documents, analyze databases, tailor content for audiences, and automate routine tasks. This frees reporters for investigative work.
But he warned against overreliance. One Thai publication cut its newsroom from 10 staff to one person, relying on AI for routine reporting. "That's very bad," Chavarong said. Algorithms without human judgment breed bias and misinformation.
Thailand's National Press Council issued guidelines in 2024 requiring all AI-generated content to undergo human verification and be clearly labeled. The council established an AI monitoring team that issues biweekly reports on newsroom developments.
Repackaging, not replacing
Le Quoc Minh, editor-in-chief of Vietnam's Nhan Dan newspaper, described how AI is changing how newsrooms distribute verified reporting. His newsroom does not allow AI to independently generate news stories. Instead, journalists use AI to adapt and repackage original reporting into different formats.
"AI is not replacing journalism. It is helping us distribute our verified content more effectively," he said.
Minh introduced the concept of "liquid content"-a single piece of reporting transformed into multiple formats to match audience needs. Breaking news in the morning becomes a two-minute audio update for commuters. Later, the same content expands into a longer report. By evening, it becomes an in-depth explanatory piece.
AI handles real-time translation, automated formatting, and platform-specific adjustments. A verified event becomes text, audio, video, or graphics depending on where audiences encounter it.
"A single piece of content never ends up the same way twice," Minh said. Audiences receive different versions based on context, device, and consumption habits.
Core journalistic values remain unchanged. Accuracy, source verification, accountability, and press freedom continue to underpin reporting. "The task now is not to build stronger containers for content," Minh said. "It is to let journalism flow."
For writers looking to integrate AI into their work, understanding these principles-transparency, human oversight, and clear disclosure-separates responsible use from shortcuts that erode credibility. Learn more about AI for Writers and how Generative AI and LLM technologies work in practice.
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