MANILA – Journalists and other members of the media should be trained on artificial intelligence, an expert said on Friday. 

Dominic Ligot, founder of Data Ethics PH, said news professionals should use the technology just as they adapted to the rise of television and radio.

“Art, journalism, and education are all in the same bucket [since] they are being disrupted. They all deal with content, authority. Lahat yan sinisira ng AI, yung valuation ng work nila ay bumababa na,” said Ligot in a midterms election forum organized by the Philippine Press Institute.

“For me, I have one foot in and out with the journalism sector, hindi naman mawawala yung need ng journalists pero yung form – yun ang challenge,” he added. 

“While we are still reflecting andiyan na yung mga bad guys actually using it,” he said.

Ligot said AI tools are widely used in newsrooms around the world to transcribe audio, summarize text, and translate from one language to another. 

While AI is transforming economies and creating vast opportunities, the technology also risks deepening existing inequalities, according to a report recently released by the United Nations trade and development agency. 

In particular, the report cautioned that "AI could impact 40 percent of jobs worldwide, offering productivity gains but also raising concerns about automation and job displacement.” 

In the Philippines, experts stressed the importance of strengthening the country’s cybersecurity despite the emerging threats, scams and identity theft. 

Scam Watch Pilipinas urged legislators to enact laws that will allow the government to regulate social media and other platforms and to curb the spread of deepfakes, as news personalities, business tycoons and celebrities continue to become victims of fake video and audio contents.