A forum held in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has called on China’s mainstream media to actively integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology as part of their digital transformation efforts. The Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Media Transformation, organized by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Friday, emphasized the dual need to harness AI’s potential for innovation while addressing the challenges it presents.

Mo Gaoyi, deputy head of the Publicity Department and director of the State Council Information Office, highlighted the pivotal moment faced by China’s media industry amid the deep integration of AI across sectors. He characterized AI adoption as both an inevitable and urgent step to accelerate digital and intelligent transformation, increase competitiveness, and foster a new ecosystem of mainstream public opinion aligned with Chinese modernization goals.

Despite the opportunities AI offers in enhancing industrial capabilities, Mo also underscored significant security concerns, including the risks posed by deepfakes, data poisoning, opaque algorithms, privacy violations, and cyberattacks. He stressed the importance of balancing development with robust governance to manage these risks effectively. Furthermore, Mo urged media organizations to promote China’s proposals for global AI governance, aiming to support international cooperation and frame AI as a shared global resource that benefits humanity.

Xinhua News Agency, one of China’s leading news organizations, is actively pursuing intelligent transformation across multiple domains such as technology research, content production, international communication, and capacity-building initiatives, noted Liu Jian, Xinhua’s vice-president.

Kang Yong, president of ByteDance’s research institute, emphasized that quality content remains the most valuable asset for media outlets amid AI adoption. He called on the industry to focus on generating original and high-quality material while fostering collaboration between technology platforms like ByteDance and mainstream media to cultivate a healthier content ecosystem.

Addressing the limitations of AI, Zhao Zizhong, president of the New Media Institute at the Communication University of China, pointed out that while AI can simulate logical processes, it lacks the ability to fully grasp human emotion and nuance. He stressed the continued importance of media professionals’ judgment, empathy, and ethical responsibility in combating issues such as algorithmic bias and misinformation, ensuring the authenticity and credibility of news coverage in an AI-driven media environment.