AI Is A Tool, Not An Editorial Authority - Media CEO

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) technology can be utilised to speed up the production of news content, but editorial responsibility must remain in human hands to ensure that the integrity and credibility of journalism are preserved, according to a top media executive.

Vanakkam Malaysia chief executive officer Thiaga Rajan Muthusamy said AI should not be given editorial decision-making powers, even though the technology can assist in various aspects of content production and improve work efficiency.

He said AI can be used to speed up writing, translation and the preparation of multilingual content, but final decisions related to publication must be made by media practitioners.

"For producing content, we can use AI because we know it can generate content faster and more attractively, but do not give editorial responsibility to AI," he said, stressing that AI should not be seen as a replacement for journalists or editors.

He said this as a guest on Bernama Radio’s Jendela Fikir HAWANA programme, which discussed the topic HAWANA 2026: Challenges to Media Integrity and Credibility in the AI Era today.

Thiaga Rajan said the use of AI in the media industry is unavoidable as the technology is also widely used across various other sectors.

He said media practitioners must master the technology to enable them to convey information related to AI more effectively to the public.

"If media practitioners themselves do not understand AI, we will not be able to convey such information to the public," he said.

According to Thiaga Rajan, media organisations that refuse to adopt AI risk becoming irrelevant in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

He stressed that integrity remains the key factor distinguishing journalistic content from that generated automatically by technology.

"AI can write articles, produce videos and create voices, but it cannot replace integrity. As journalists, we cannot compromise on integrity, and it is even more important in this AI era," he said.

The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2026 celebration will culminate in Penang tomorrow, bringing together media practitioners from across the country to honour them as integrity-driven conveyors of information.

-- BERNAMA