The future of news and AI: Key insights from the II Central Asian Media Forum
At the II Central Asian Media Forum session titled “Digital Transformation of Media in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data” prominent experts in media gathered to discuss the impact of AI on journalism and media regulations, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Iain McDonald, creative director at CNN, described the ongoing evolution of the media landscape as both long-running and rapidly accelerating.
“Transformation is a huge word in the media. I feel like we have been undergoing it for at least 20 years, but the rate of change, particularly brought about by AI, has really increased over the past four, five, six years,” said the creative director at CNN.
McDonald, who works across creative and tech teams, highlighted the growing influence of generative AI, particularly in advertising and content production. However, he stressed the need to separate assistive AI from generative AI when discussing news. He warned that removing the human touch risks damaging trust and authenticity — key values in journalism.
Building on the conversation around technology and responsibility, media law expert Dr. Venkat Iyer turned the spotlight to the legal and ethical challenges of regulating digital platforms.
Dr. Venkat stressed that while regulation is necessary, it must not come at the cost of fundamental freedoms. “If you over-regulate, you may damage certain important key interests — most notably, freedom of expression,” he said.
The media law expert cautioned against reactionary legislation, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach.
“The trick is to get the correct balance, and that has not always happened for a variety of reasons. The reasons may be political, they may be ideological, they may sometimes be economic, and, of course, nowadays there is also the challenge of technology,” says Dr. Venkat.
Dr. Iyer also highlighted the limited effectiveness of international regulation, emphasizing that most regulatory power remains at the national level due to the principle of sovereignty. He noted that few countries are willing to let international law dictate their internal policies. However, he stressed that international dialogue and cooperation are still possible — though only on a voluntary basis.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that II Central Asian Media Forum kicked off in Kazakh capital.
