More than 400 media professionals from over 40 countries gathered in Shenzhen, China, on September 5 for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum, where the central debate was not whether artificial intelligence belongs in newsrooms, but how journalists can maintain irreplaceable value alongside it. The forum, themed "Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action," drew representatives from U.N. agencies and international organizations, reflecting the urgency of an industry facing AI that can generate content faster, cheaper, and in multiple languages within seconds.
Zahir Shah Sherazi, head of Pakistan's BOL News, cut through the automation anxiety with a straightforward limitation. "You still need physical presence to put in emotions,...Machines cannot replace humans," he said. Sherazi called for journalists to receive training and become well versed in AI-assisted reporting rather than resisting the technology.
Donovan Ralph Martin, CEO and editor-in-chief of Canadian outlet The Daily Scrum News, described himself as a strong advocate for AI and warned that news organizations failing to use the technology risk being left behind. But his enthusiasm came with a clear boundary. AI "is as good as the people using it," Martin said, adding that human interaction will remain essential to journalism. The technology may accelerate production, but it cannot independently decide which questions matter, recognize what is left unsaid, or take responsibility for publication.
Adaptation is no longer optional
Muhammad Ashraf, editor-in-chief of Pakistan's Daily Mashriq Lahore, framed the shift in absolute terms. "Change is the only permanent thing in the world," Ashraf said. "So accept the challenge of change, and go with it." That acceptance requires more than purchasing new tools. Journalists must learn how AI works, where it can fail, and when its output must be questioned - without handing over their editorial judgment. Newsrooms need to build this understanding across their teams.
Nang Calyar Win, CEO of Myanmar's Asian Fame Media Group, offered a metaphor that puts the burden back on the user. "AI is like a reflection of everybody," Win said. A knowledgeable user can obtain stronger results, while limited knowledge and weak instructions produce weak output. "The AI depends on the user." The smarter the tool becomes, the more capable the journalist using it must be. For writers navigating this shift, resources on AI for Writers cover content writing, copywriting, and publishing automation relevant to professionals adapting their craft.
Concrete steps amid the debate
The forum produced action alongside discussion. Shenzhen Daily and Daily Kasoti, a Pakistani media outlet, signed a memorandum of understanding on content production cooperation less than 24 hours before the event began on September 4. The Shenzhen-based English newspaper and information platform also reached agreements with media outlets from Canada, Pakistan, Russia, and Myanmar during the forum.
In an environment flooded with synthetic content, the value of professional media increasingly lies in verified facts, first-hand observation, cultural understanding, and accountability. The real choice is not between humans and machines. It is between journalism that uses AI responsibly and content production that allows automation to operate without judgment. Media strategy and communications professionals can find relevant training through AI for PR & Communications resources that address the same challenges raised at the forum.
Why this matters for writers
The forum's consensus points to a specific shift for working writers and journalists: AI proficiency is becoming a baseline skill, not a differentiator. What will set professionals apart is the ability to ask better questions than the tool can generate, to recognize what a machine cannot observe, and to stand behind published work. Training in AI-assisted reporting is no longer theoretical - it is what separates journalists who direct the technology from those who are replaced by it. The outlets that moved fastest at the forum did not debate the technology. They signed agreements and got to work.
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