Turkish technology minister urges global regulation to prevent AI misuse at ABNA-SE conference

ISTANBUL

Türkiye's industry and technology minister emphasized the transformative impact of AI on various sectors, particularly the media, at a conference Wednesday in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul.

"Algorithmic journalism applications use AI to filter current and accurate information with news value, delivering content to the public that is indistinguishable from texts written by real authors in a matter of moments," Mehmet Fatih Kacir said in a speech at the event, held by the Association of the Balkan News Agencies – Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE) and hosted by Anadolu.

However, AI also has a growing potential for misuse, manipulation, and misinformation through technologies like deepfakes, he said at the conference on shaping the relationship between AI and the media.

"The line between fabrication and reality in the media is becoming increasingly blurred," he said, underscoring the increasing need to ensure accuracy.

Kacir emphasized the importance of global collaboration on AI governance, noting that while this technology is developing rapidly alongside others like quantum computing, "much of the progress" is being driven by private companies focused primarily on profit without "a direct responsibility to the public."

He called for a "unified, transparent, and globally coordinated approach" to AI regulation and the need for principled journalism.

Addressing the ethical dimensions of AI, Kacir pointed out the risk of it becoming "a tool for cultural dominance and digital fascism," affirming Türkiye's commitment to "encouraging a diverse and pluralistic media landscape."

He concluded by commending Turkish media outlets for "the horrific events in Gaza," describing it as Türkiye's "moral duty to ensure that truthfulness reaches not only the 85 million people in Türkiye, but also audiences worldwide."

Under the leadership of Anadolu, which holds the presidency of ABNA-SE for 2024, the event, called "Navigating AI and Media" took place on Wednesday at the 32nd ABNA-SE General Assembly and Conference in Istanbul.

It was hosted by Anadolu and organized by delegation members of the Association of the Balkan News Agencies — Southeast Europe (ABNA-SE) with the attendance of Türkiye’s Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, President and CEO of Anadolu Serdar Karagoz and Secretary General of ABNA-SE Kiril Valchev.