AI Must Serve Humanity, Not Dominate It, Says CMG President

From Chiang Hee Tze & Massita Ahmad

CHONGQING (China), June 10 (Bernama) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) should remain a force that benefits humanity, with its advancement guided by ethics, inclusivity, and shared responsibility among global media professionals, China Media Group (CMG) President Shen Haixiong said.

Echoing the need for AI to benefit humanity, Shen quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping as saying: "Artificial Intelligence should be an international public good that benefits all of humankind."

Addressing the 5th CMG Forum here on Wednesday, Shen said the rapid advancement of AI had made the media's role more important than ever in ensuring that technology served humanity rather than dominated it.

"The more advanced AI becomes, the more precious the media's mission truly is. CMG always insists that technology must serve humanity rather than dominate it, ensuring that algorithms transmit goodwill instead of amplifying bias," he said.

Also present were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin, Reuters President Paul Bascobert and Rector of the United Nations University and the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Tshilidzi Marwala.

They joined representatives from international media organisations, technology companies, academia and government agencies to exchange views on the future of media in the era of AI.

Shen said the media’s role in the AI age went beyond adopting new technologies and involved safeguarding the values of civilisation and promoting human well-being.

"The media's mission in the intelligent era is not merely a technical proposition, but a value-driven one concerning the direction of civilisation and human well-being," he said.

He said CMG was expanding the use of AI across its operations to create new forms of storytelling and deepen the integration of culture and technology, while enabling traditional Chinese culture to be presented in innovative ways.

On the challenges accompanying rapid technological progress, Shen warned that the digital landscape was increasingly affected by misinformation, algorithmic influence and emotional manipulation.

"Technology can build an interconnected world, but it can also erect invisible walls. In today's internet, issues such as misinformation, algorithmic domestication, and emotional manipulation are assaulting the public opinion ecology with unprecedented, cascading waves of debate," he said.

Shen also stressed the importance of international collaboration to ensure the benefits of AI reached all societies and helped narrow technological disparities.

He said CMG would continue to strengthen partnerships with global media organisations to promote exchanges, enhance cooperation, and support the development of a more open and inclusive digital communication landscape.

Highlighting the practical application of AI, Shen said the intelligent robot martial arts performance at this year's CMG Spring Festival Gala had drawn worldwide attention and praise.

 He said CMG was also leveraging AI across various platforms to promote innovation and reinterpret traditional Chinese culture.

The forum, themed ‘Upholding and Reshaping: The Media's Mission in the Intelligent Era’, was organised by CMG and the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.

-- BERNAMA