Humans vs. machines: AI sparks fierce debate at IGCF 2025

The opening day of the 14th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) in Sharjah set the stage for a critical debate on one of today’s most pressing questions: What becomes of journalism in an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI)?

The session, titled “Journalism vs. Artificial Intelligence: Humans or Machines?”, was hosted by the Sharjah Press Club and brought together Hussam Al-Najjar, Leader of SAP Digital Transformation, and Simon Thethi, a technology entrepreneur, product innovator, and media pioneer. The two explored the speed of AI’s advancements, its growing role in newsrooms, and the potential risks it carries for the credibility of journalism.

AI’s Growing Role in Newsrooms

Al-Najjar pointed out the remarkable pace of AI progress. In just two years, he explained, advanced language models have improved their performance on PhD-level science exam questions from around 30% accuracy to more than 80%.

“That’s nearly three times smarter in only two years,” he observed.

He also highlighted findings from recent studies: by 2024, 81.7% of journalists had incorporated AI tools into their work, and by 2025, 87% of newsroom managers reported that AI had either completely or partially transformed their operations.

For Al-Najjar, the evidence is clear—AI is no longer on the sidelines but already embedded in day-to-day newsroom processes. From transcriptions and research to summarisation and cross-platform storytelling, AI is streamlining tasks that would otherwise be unmanageable.

He cited cases where journalists relied on AI to analyze hours of raw video footage or sort through enormous datasets, tasks virtually impossible without technological support.

“Step by step, AI is evolving into the brain of the newsroom—just like the computer in Star Trek,” he said. He envisioned future scenarios where AI would drive editorial systems, deliver hyper-personalized news, and produce seamless content across multiple formats.

However, Al-Najjar cautioned against unrestrained adoption. “Journalism is already struggling with public trust,” he reminded. “If audiences know that AI is behind the news, will they respect it in the same way? AI isn’t the enemy of journalism, but it must be used responsibly to amplify credibility and efficiency.”

Trust Cannot Be Automated

Thethi, in contrast, offered a more cautious perspective. He drew attention to the explosion of AI-generated websites, noting that Newsguard has identified more than 1,300 such sites operating without human editors.

“Since ChatGPT launched in late 2022, AI-driven content has skyrocketed by 8,300%. Today, about 74% of websites are believed to be AI-generated,” he explained.

According to him, the consequences are grave. The rapid spread of false or misleading information has led to public fatigue and declining trust in media.

“Surveys reveal that 58% of people no longer trust online information, and nearly 90% of journalists believe AI will worsen disinformation,” Thethi said. He stressed that while AI can process data, it cannot physically engage with communities, conduct interviews, or bring first-hand authority to stories.

“Take a conflict journalist who has covered events on the ground—AI cannot replicate that authenticity. Trust is a human quality,” he argued.

Even so, Thethi acknowledged AI’s strengths. As a “digital intern,” he said, AI can save significant time in transcription, translation, and data handling. For instance, Reuters has improved its newsroom efficiency by 30% since integrating AI tools.

But he firmly opposed AI as a storyteller. “If everything becomes synthetic and mass-produced, journalism risks becoming meaningless. What distinguishes journalism is human-driven content backed by empathy, authority, and credibility.”

Striking the Balance

The debate left audiences with a clear takeaway: the future of journalism does not lie in completely rejecting or wholly embracing AI. Instead, it requires finding a balance where human judgment, empathy, and accountability remain at the core of storytelling, while AI is deployed as a supportive tool to enhance efficiency.

About IGCF 2025

The 14th International Government Communication Forum is being held under the theme “Communication for Quality of Life.” This year’s two-day gathering has drawn more than 237 global speakers participating across 51 sessions and 110 activities, including seven keynote talks, 22 workshops, and 22 interactive platforms.

The forum’s agenda revolves around five critical global themes: food security, public health, education, environmental sustainability, and the green economy.

Organized by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), the event is supported by 30 partners, including government entities, research institutes, technology companies, and media organizations.