Media Must Use AI To Drive Efficiency And Cut Costs, Says Wong Chun Wai
Margins are thinning. Fixed costs keep climbing. At the 58th Annual Conference of the World Chinese Language Press Institute in George Town, Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai made it clear: media companies need AI to stay alive.
His point was simple. AI reduces manpower needs, speeds up content production, and multiplies output across formats-video, text, clips, posts, and platform-specific versions. More content creates more monetisation opportunities with fewer fixed costs.
Why this matters for PR and communications
Your team competes on speed, relevance, and reach. AI helps you publish faster, localise at scale, and target with precision. It also improves reporting, segmentation, and forecasting so you can stop guessing what works and spend on what actually moves the needle.
Wong shared a practical example: using AI to create Mandarin videos indistinguishable from human voice work. That means PR teams can localise campaigns without hiring multiple voice artists or editors-while keeping quality high.
Key takeaways from Wong's address
- Scale output without scaling headcount: generate multi-format content for every platform from a single core asset.
- Increase revenue options: more stories, shorts, and shows mean more ad inventory, sponsorship packages, and subscriber touchpoints.
- Know your audience, don't guess: use AI for targeting, segmentation, and performance prediction to inform editorial and PR angles.
- Localise fast: AI voice, translation, and subtitling remove language barriers and open new markets.
- Lower fixed costs: fewer repetitive tasks, leaner production, and tighter turnaround.
What PR teams can do this quarter
- Audit your workflow: list manual tasks that slow you down (briefing, research, drafting, formatting, clip edits, subtitling, reporting).
- Pick two pilots: 1) multi-format content repurposing, 2) audience segmentation with AI-driven testing and reporting.
- Set guardrails: disclosure rules for synthetic media, fact-check steps, IP and consent policies, and a review path for sensitive content.
- Build a lightweight stack: writing assistant, video/voice tools, translation/subtitles, social scheduler, analytics.
- Measure what matters: cost per asset, time to publish, reach by segment, save rates, and conversion linked to PR placements.
Monetisation and measurement
Wong's message ties back to revenue. More relevant content, delivered faster to the right people, gets better results for advertisers and stakeholders. Use AI to package updates into platform-ready assets and report performance by audience slice, not just totals.
This is where PR can lead: turn press materials into short videos, narrated explainers, quotes carousels, and email-ready summaries-then track outcomes by segment.
Risks to manage (without slowing down)
- Accuracy: establish a final human check for names, figures, and sensitive claims.
- Authenticity: disclose synthetic voice or images when appropriate; avoid misleading edits.
- Bias and consent: review datasets, secure rights for voice likeness, and respect platform policies.
- Security: keep private data out of public tools; use approved accounts and access controls.
Event context
The conference took place at the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery and marked the 115th anniversary of Penang-based Kwong Wah Jit Poh-founded in 1910 by Dr Sun Yat Sen and regarded as the oldest surviving Chinese newspaper. It was officiated by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, with Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong in attendance.
Over 80 media practitioners joined from Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Canada. The message resonated across markets: AI isn't optional anymore.
90-day pilot plan
- Days 1-30: define use cases, choose tools, set policy, train a small squad, and baseline your metrics.
- Days 31-60: run two pilots-content repurposing and audience segmentation; compare cost and speed vs. your baseline.
- Days 61-90: scale what works, cut what doesn't, and formalise a repeatable playbook for campaigns and reporting.
Helpful resources
- Research on AI's impact in newsrooms (Reuters Institute)
- AI upskilling paths for PR and communications (Complete AI Training)
Bottom line: increase output, stay accurate, and measure everything. AI gives PR teams the leverage to do all three-and keep budgets in check.
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