Robot journalist to address session at Dubai forum

Visitors at the 14th edition of the Arab Media Forum at Dubai World Trade Centre.

A robot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) will address a session during the Arab Media Forum (AMF) in Dubai on March 27-28. A region-first, the robot will anchor a session called the 'future of news anchoring' and highlight the use of AI in news anchoring. The robot journalist will act as the digital version of MBC's sports anchor Mustafa Agha.
At another session, the world's youngest journalist, Janna Jihad from Palestine, will share her inspirational story as a young activist and how she began her journey reporting about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the age of seven using her mother's iPhone.
Over 3,000 regional and international media leaders, scholars, writers and experts will come together for the 18th edition of AMF. Held under the theme 'Arab media: From now to the future', the event will feature over 75 speakers and 200 prominent media figures representing more than 20 countries from across the Arab region and the world.
The 2019 edition of the AMF aims to shed light on the current state of the media and the impact of regional and global events on media discourse, especially with regards to professional media values like objectivity and impartiality. It will also explore a range of new trends that have contributed to the advancement of the industry, in addition to showcasing new technologies that will play a key role in the global development of the industry.
President of Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Chairperson of AMF Organising Committee, Mona Al Marri, said the 18th edition of the forum has two parallel tracks - the first, the current state of the Arab world's media and the second, its future prospects.
"The forum will take a close look at the current Arab media landscape to understand the social, cultural or economic changes it is going through. It will also address how the media can positively deal with issues concerning the people and support efforts to meet their aspirations," she said.
Al Marri explained that the forum will also discuss the Arab media's ability to keep abreast of advancements in the global media industry and take advantage of fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies.
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Key speakers and their sessions
> Fabrice Fries, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Agence France-Presse (AFP): He will discuss the role of news agencies in fighting fake news, rumours and false information on the web, especially on social media platforms
> Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Information Affairs, Bahrain; and Hussein Zein, President of the National Media Authority, Egypt: They will explore ways to boost the development of the media sector in light of recent political, economic and social changes.
> Futurist Jamais Cascio: He will address a session titled '20 minutes into the Future', where he will share his thoughts on the most important media transformations in our world today.
> Tini Sevak, Vice-President, Audiences and Data at CNN International Commercial: His session will examine whether the public has lost confidence in the media.