At the forum titled "Ethics and Media Codes in the AI World," young journalists agreed that technology can revolutionize news work but must always be accompanied by fact-checking before publication. They expressed concern that algorithms might drown out the voices of ordinary people instead of amplifying them.
On 9 Jun 2026 GMT+7, the training project "Little Lightning Reporters, 21st Generation" held a forum under the theme "Ethics and Media Codes in the AI World." The event gathered 80 students from 22 institutions nationwide. Senior announcer and reporter Mr. Chairat Thomya moderated the session, joined by Mr. Banyong Suwanphong, Ethics Committee member of the Thai Radio and Television Journalists Association, and Mr. Rawee Tawantharong, expert committee member of the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund. They shared their experiences and perspectives on the role of the media in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).
Mr. Banyong emphasized that although AI technology plays a significant role in the news production process, the core of the media profession remains ethics and responsibility. Media practitioners must uphold responsibilities on three levels: to themselves, to the profession, and to society.
Regarding individual responsibility, it is the most fundamental foundation of the media profession because ethics begin with the individual. Journalists must adhere to honesty, avoid letting personal gain or conflicts of interest influence their work, exercise discretion in news presentation, and never publish unchecked information, even under pressure from competition or social trends.
Furthermore, media workers should not allow AI to make ethical decisions on their behalf but should use AI solely as a supportive tool. They must continuously develop knowledge and skills to keep up with technological and social changes.
Professional responsibility involves maintaining professional standards by presenting information comprehensively, fairly, and balancedly. This includes giving all parties involved the opportunity to clarify facts and avoiding actions that could compromise media neutrality and credibility.
Social responsibility is the highest goal of journalism, involving the duty to scrutinize government and corporate power to protect public interest, serve as the voice of the people, and help foster social understanding, rather than focusing on news that incites conflict or hatred.
The forum also addressed the concept of accountability, or "responsibility for actual outcomes," which goes beyond merely fulfilling duties correctly. Media professionals must be accountable for the consequences of their reporting. If published information causes harm, misunderstanding, or impacts individuals and society negatively, they must be ready to explain, correct, apologize, and remedy the damage caused.
In the AI era, the role of being the "voice of the people" faces challenges because platform algorithms tend to prioritize highly popular content, potentially diminishing public issues or the voices of marginalized groups. The media must bring important social issues back into the public sphere and not allow sensational news or conflicts to dominate reporting. Media also has a role in strengthening public immunity against fake news, misinformation, and AI bias, as well as reducing information access gaps to ensure all groups receive accurate and quality information equally.
Mr. Rawee Tawantharong, expert committee member of the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund, noted that artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the mass communication field profoundly, comparable to the impact of the internet more than 20 years ago. Currently, the public use of ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI platforms represents only a small portion of the full AI capabilities available worldwide.
He pointed out that Thailand is among the countries with the highest use of AI for conversation and information search globally, according to studies by Oxford University and the Reuters Institute. However, Thai people also tend to believe AI-generated information highly, despite AI not being a primary source and sometimes providing inaccurate or erroneous data.
For news work, AI can assist with research, summarizing content, analyzing large data sets, and speeding up content production. However, AI cannot replace the "original source" and "human connection," which remain essential to journalism.
He emphasized that journalists should not rely solely on AI as a source but must always verify information with real sources because facts and data are not the same. AI-collected data may only reflect content published online, not verified facts.
Another important issue is using AI to create images or videos for news, which carries copyright risks. Users might unknowingly incorporate copyrighted elements into AI-generated content. Therefore, media must clearly specify usage conditions and verify content sources before publishing.
Additionally, AI significantly affects online news presentation systems. Whereas internet users once searched information via websites directly, AI overview systems on search platforms now provide immediate summarized answers. This raises concerns and underscores that modern journalists must use AI as a tool but not trust it blindly.
It was recommended that modern journalists develop stronger skills in data analytics and critical thinking. They should use AI as a work aid but not depend on it without verification. In an era of massive daily data generation, a journalist’s true value lies not just in gathering information but in filtering, verifying, and explaining facts accurately and comprehensively to society.
Although technology is rapidly evolving, the fundamental values of the media profession—honesty, responsibility, fairness, and standing for the public good—remain central to journalism in every era.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chatchawan Thoerngnawachart, an AI and media expert, along with trainers from Gendee Company Limited, shared knowledge on "Using AI in Media Work and the Development of the AI World." They explained that AI can greatly reduce newsroom workflows, from tracking news and trending topics, analyzing news appeal, conducting preliminary fact-checking, to gathering in-depth information and summarizing key points.
Participants also learned how to write effective prompts to have AI assist in scripting news, creating graphics, planning news production, and managing content for targeted publication across platforms.
During the workshop, participants practiced using AI tools for real news tasks, including generating illustrations, graphics, virtual images, and producing content via mobile phones. These skills align with modern journalists’ need to produce diverse media forms. Systematic AI use can reduce the production time of a news piece from 1-3 days to just 30 minutes to 3 hours, covering all steps from research to multi-platform publication. However, ultimately AI remains an "assistant," not a "judge." This is because technology cannot replace a journalist’s judgment, fact-checking, understanding of social context, and ethical decision-making, which remain essential for delivering accurate, credible, and socially beneficial news.
