Solomon Islands last week joined some of the World’s leading news agencies at the 6th World Media Summit in Urumqi, Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to discuss the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and media transformation in the advent of AI.
The 6th World Media Summit brought together over 500 representatives from 106 countries and regions, including representatives of 208 mainstream media outlets, government agencies and international organizations.
The summit, themed “Artificial Intelligence and Media Transformation,” featured discussions on topics such as the application of artificial intelligence in media development, the common mission of news media in the digital age, and the high-level opening up and high-quality development of Xinjiang.
Participants also explored how to better convey the story of global modernization and promote common development.
Organized by Xinhua News Agency and the Xinjiang regional government, representatives from United Nations agencies and international media organizations held discussions on artificial intelligence and the transformations in the media sector, sharing their innovative experiences within the industry.
Specifically, topics discussed included “Development and Change: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Media Development,” “Regulations and Responsibilities: Ethics for Journalists in the Age of AI,” and “Facts and Truth: The Mission of Media in the Digital Age,” touching on new technologies in artificial intelligence development in the media sector, its contributions to advancements in industry, and the promotion of global sustainable development.
At the summit, high-ranking officials from the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China, officials from the Xinjiang regional government, President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua, and heads of member organizations of the World Media Forum delivered keynote speeches.
“As artificial intelligence continues to develop, the media industry must adhere to ethical standards and follow professional guidelines. This Summit is a crucial area for international media professionals to collaborate at the highest level, emphasizing the importance of deepening sector cooperation and collectively aiming for a better future,” said Director of Government Communication Unit (GCU), George Herming, who represented Solomon Islands.
At the opening session of the Summit, President of the Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua stressed that the Agency has enhanced productivity by seventy percent with the development of AI, emphasizing that the Xinhua News Agency is leading in AI in the media sector.
“For Solomon Islands, attending the 6th Media Summit is the first official engagement between China’s Xinhua News Agency and the Solomon Islands Government Communication Unit following a signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in July this year on media cooperation between the two agencies,” Herming said.
As the Central News Agency of the Government, the GCU is looking forward to collaborate more closely with Xinhua News Agency and other international agencies to tap into latest global technologies and applications to boost its news and information services to the country.
“AI is a latest technological innovation that comes with advantages and disadvantages and it is critical that we understand the whole system and how it operates so that we utilise the technological advantages it brings into our daily work as a news agency,” Herming said.
The Summit also provided an opportunity for delegates to visit historical sites and heritages of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and to witness the rapid growth of the Province over the last 15 years.
Xinjiang is one of the transit hubs of China’s Silk Road into Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe and Russia.
The Summit was held from October 12-17.
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-GCU
