Kagay-anon media professionals explore AI’s role in journalism

Kagay-anon media practitioners, information officers, and aspiring journalists recently joined a practical workshop on “AI in the Newsroom: Productivity, Ethics & Combating Misinformation”. The session was spearheaded by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club and co-organized by PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc., in collaboration with Xavier University - Development Communication Department, reaffirming their shared commitment to responsible journalism and innovation in the digital age.

"Responsible journalism is essential in the digital age. As we in PLDT-Smart continue to champion digital inclusion and internet safety, we wanted to integrate media professionals into our programs. With this workshop, we affirm our commitment to empowering journalists with the necessary tools to navigate this evolving landscape," said Roby Alampay, FVP and Group Head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart.

Led by journalist, technologist, and media advisor Jaemark Tordecilla, the workshop tackled real-world use cases of AI in journalism from smarter research and fact-checking, to writing, editing, and even creating multimedia content. Participants also explored chatbot tools, AI writing assistants, and how to use these responsibly in the newsroom.

While AI presents powerful possibilities, media leaders also reminded fellow journalists that human input and intention are still crucial. “AI is just a tool after all. It’s garbage in, garbage out. If you don’t know how to prompt ChatGPT, then you’ll still get a useless article,” said Cong B. Corrales, VP for Print at the CDO Press Club. He emphasized that while AI can crunch massive data sets quickly, it can't replace the expertise and nuances of a human writer.

This initiative supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.