In brief
At the opening of the 7th World Media Summit, TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov stressed that artificial intelligence offers huge possibilities for newsrooms while also jeopardising public trust. He called for responsible, ethical use and human oversight, warning that advanced AI‑generated fakes will increase the value of reliable journalism. The summit, drawing representatives from 112 countries, also highlighted TASS’s role in the Global Fact‑Checking Network.
At the 7th World Media Summit held in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People from November 5 to 9, 2014, TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov opened the ceremony by addressing the gathering of media representatives from 112 countries. The event, organized by the Xinhua News Agency and the Beijing government, brought together around 500 participants from major media outlets, think tanks, and international bodies to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on journalism.
Kondrashov told the audience that artificial intelligence creates “tremendous opportunities for journalism, but at the same time creates new risks.” He explained that the future of individual newsrooms and the overall level of public trust would hinge on how responsibly the media handles AI innovations. The director general emphasized that TASS is closely monitoring AI technologies and integrating them into newsroom workflows while maintaining stringent human oversight.
AI opens up tremendous opportunities for journalism, but at the same time creates new risks. Not only the future of individual newsrooms but also the level of public trust in the media as a whole will depend on how responsibly we manage to use these opportunities,
Following Kondrashov, TASS’s chief executive added that the use of AI must remain “responsible and ethical,” and that “the final word must always remain with a human being.” The chief executive stressed that as AI becomes more capable of producing misinformation, human judgment will grow ever more essential. He warned that “the easier it becomes to create and disseminate any information, the more valuable reliable information becomes.”
the more sophisticated the technology becomes, the greater human responsibility must be: the easier it becomes to create and disseminate any information, the more valuable reliable information becomes,
The TASS delegation highlighted its participation in the Global Fact‑Checking Network, a collaboration that brings together more than 130 experts from 55 countries. The director general announced that TASS had co‑founded the network, positioning the agency as a key player in international efforts to verify information and counter digital deception.
The world media summit’s program, according to incorporated statements, featured an opening ceremony, high‑level dialogues, plenary sessions, thematic forums, a science and technology exhibition, a photo exhibition, and cultural events. Panel discussions explored the ethical dimensions of AI, the need for transparent algorithms, and the safeguards required to preserve journalistic integrity.
In its speech, Kondrashov called for continuous dialogue among media organizations to establish norms for AI deployment. He noted that the summit itself, “dedicated to cooperation among media outlets in the era of artificial intelligence,” is a forum for exploring such standards and ensuring that new tools enhance rather than diminish the credibility of reporting.
Throughout the event, several participants reiterated the importance of human oversight in content creation and fact‑checking. Some experts expressed that AI can accelerate data analysis and content distribution, while others cautioned that without rigorous editorial controls, automatically generated stories could spread misinformation widely.
As the summit progressed, TASS representatives continued to advocate for a balanced approach: embracing AI’s capacity for efficiency and personalization while upholding accountability, transparency, and ethical guidelines. The agency’s leadership affirmed that “the final word must always remain with a human being,” framing human judgment as the ultimate safeguard against the pitfalls of artificial intelligence in journalism.
The 7th World Media Summit, which has convened since 2009, underscored the growing role of technology in media ecosystems. In 2014, the summit served as a platform where AIs’ capabilities were examined alongside the responsibilities of news organizations to protect public trust and ensure reliable information in an era of rapid digital transformation.
