Leaders of major international news agencies and media organisations gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Saturday for the opening ceremony of the 7th World Media Summit, where discussions focused on the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism and the need to safeguard accuracy, credibility and editorial responsibility.
AI is transforming virtually every stage of news production, from information gathering and content creation to fact-checking, analysis and distribution. However, media leaders stressed that technological innovation must not come at the expense of professional journalism and public trust.
The summit, held from November 5 to 9, is co-hosted by China’s Xinhua News Agency and the Beijing municipal government. It has brought together nearly 500 representatives from approximately 330 media organisations across 112 countries and territories.
This year’s theme, “Media in the Intelligent Age: From Consensus to Action,” reflects growing international efforts to translate discussions about AI into practical cooperation and responsible applications across the global media industry.
Global news leaders see AI as both opportunity and challenge
Fu Hua, President of Xinhua News Agency, said AI was rapidly reshaping the news industry, making it essential for media organisations to embrace emerging technologies while preserving the credibility of mainstream journalism. He emphasised the importance of international cooperation, knowledge-sharing and technological innovation to help news organisations adapt to the changing media landscape.
A high-level discussion following the opening ceremony brought together prominent media executives, including Daisy Veerasingham, President and CEO of the Associated Press (AP); Paul Bascobert, President of Reuters; Fabrice Fries, Chairman and CEO of Agence France-Presse (AFP); and Kostas Oikonomou, Senior Vice President of CNN.
A recurring concern among participants was that while AI has significantly increased the speed and volume of information production, it has also introduced new risks. These include difficulties in verifying the origins of information, the spread of unverified content, inaccuracies generated by AI systems and potential algorithmic bias.
Participants broadly recognised the need for media organisations to exchange experiences and develop responsible approaches to AI adoption without compromising editorial accountability.
Toshimitsu Sawai, President and Editor-in-Chief of Japan’s Kyodo News, highlighted the growing threats posed by misinformation, fake news and copyright issues associated with generative AI. His remarks underscored the importance of professional journalistic judgement in an environment where technology can generate and distribute content at unprecedented speed.
Andrey Kondrashov, Director-General of Russia’s TASS news agency, also recognised AI’s potential to improve newsroom efficiency but emphasised that its application must remain grounded in ethical principles and human editorial oversight.
Together, these perspectives reflected a common challenge facing the global news industry: how to benefit from AI-driven innovation while ensuring that human judgement, verification and public accountability remain central to journalism.
Xinhua showcases AI agents and humanoid news anchors
Beyond hosting the summit, Xinhua demonstrated several AI innovations designed to support the transformation of news production and distribution.
Among them was Xinhua Yudian (新华语典), an AI-powered information agent built on the news agency’s own information resources. The platform provides four principal services: AI-powered conversations, personalised information subscriptions and alerts, a knowledge base, and an integrated AI assistant centre.
Its seven core capabilities include knowledge retrieval, source tracing, news recommendations, question answering, information verification, topic analysis and assistance with article drafting. A key feature is its emphasis on traceable information sources, reflecting Xinhua’s approach to building AI applications around identifiable and verifiable news data.
Another innovation attracting attention was the unveiling of two bionic humanoid robot news anchors developed jointly by Xinhua and Chinese robotics company UBTECH. Introduced on November 5, the robots include a male anchor named Xinyu (新语) and a female anchor named Xinyan (新言).
The humanoid presenters combine AI technology with human-like robotic systems and can connect to Xinhua’s news databases. Renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou also participated in designing their appearance.
The project represents a technological shift from virtual news presenters displayed on screens towards physically embodied AI-powered presenters. Although such technologies remain emerging applications, they point towards possible new forms of news presentation and audience interaction.
ASEAN media leaders call for inclusive AI development
Media leaders from Southeast Asia placed particular emphasis on ensuring that AI technologies are accessible to organisations of all sizes, especially those in developing countries. Their concerns centred on the possibility that advanced AI capabilities could become concentrated among major international media companies and technologically advanced nations, widening existing inequalities in the global information landscape.
Wong Chun Wai, Chairman of Malaysia’s national news agency BERNAMA, advocated an “AI for All” approach, calling for a more inclusive global media ecosystem. He highlighted the importance of providing greater opportunities for countries in the Global South to participate in technological development and international media cooperation.
The development of multilingual AI systems was also identified as essential for preserving cultural diversity and ensuring that smaller language communities are not excluded from technological progress.
Vu Viet Trang, Director-General of the Vietnam News Agency, stressed the importance of AI governance, digital skills development among journalists, cross-border fact-checking cooperation and the protection of news content rights.
The perspectives presented by ASEAN representatives reflected a wider concern that unequal access to AI infrastructure, expertise and investment could deepen disparities in the competitiveness and influence of media organisations worldwide.
Five key priorities for media in the intelligent age
The summit’s Concept Paper identifies five major areas of discussion intended to guide international media cooperation in the AI era. The document recognises that the world faces interconnected challenges involving security, economic development, environmental sustainability and cultural differences. At the same time, AI is rapidly transforming how information is produced, distributed and consumed, creating an urgent need for stronger international cooperation.
1. AI for All and the Transformation of Global Media
Promoting inclusive AI adoption across news gathering, content production, distribution and media management. The agenda encourages technological knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, particularly for smaller media organisations and developing countries.
2. Media Dialogue and Cooperation for a Safer World
Strengthening cross-border reporting, collaborative fact-checking and crisis communication. Particular attention is given to global challenges involving food security, energy security and climate change, where reliable information and international cooperation are essential.
3. AI-enabled Communication for Expanding Exchanges among Civilizations
Using AI-powered translation and innovative communication technologies to promote mutual understanding among nations and cultures. The objective is to improve international communication while respecting cultural identities and linguistic diversity.
4. AI+ and the Future of Global Communication Governance
Developing standards and governance frameworks for responsible AI applications in the media industry. Key considerations include identifying AI-generated content, ensuring information traceability, improving algorithmic transparency and protecting data security.
5. The Beijing Approach: Decoding Chinese Modernization
Examining China’s development experience through visits to significant locations in Beijing. The programme covers urban development, historical and cultural preservation, metropolitan governance and green development initiatives.
Taken together, the five priorities demonstrate that the summit’s agenda extends beyond newsroom technology to encompass the broader role of media in international understanding, crisis response and the future governance of global communication.
Beijing consensus calls for responsible AI
During the November 7 opening ceremony, participants released the Seventh World Media Summit Beijing Consensus, setting out shared priorities for the global media industry.
The document emphasises responsible AI development, inclusive access to emerging technologies, the protection of journalistic accuracy, efforts to combat misinformation and stronger international cooperation among media organisations.
The summit also saw the release of AI Plus Media: Global Development Report 2026, prepared by a Xinhua-affiliated think tank. The report examines how AI is reshaping the global media ecosystem, including opportunities to improve news production efficiency and challenges arising from information manipulation, changing news consumption patterns and technological inequality between countries.
Another initiative presented at the summit was the Global Media Initiative for the Joint Development of AI Application Standards. The initiative seeks to encourage international cooperation in establishing standards for the responsible application of artificial intelligence across the media industry.
These developments indicate growing recognition that AI transformation cannot be addressed solely through individual newsroom investments. It also requires common principles, professional standards and cooperation across national and organisational boundaries.
The future of journalism: technology must reinforce trust
The 7th World Media Summit highlighted a significant turning point for the international news industry. Traditionally, media organisations have competed primarily on the speed of news delivery, the scale of their reporting networks and their ability to reach audiences.
In the AI era, their competitiveness will increasingly depend on how effectively they integrate intelligent technologies into their operations while maintaining professional standards.
AI offers considerable opportunities to improve efficiency, expand multilingual communication, support investigative work and enhance the accessibility of news. At the same time, it raises fundamental questions about authenticity, transparency, accountability and the role of human journalists.
The discussions in Beijing underscored a central message: as technology makes information easier and faster to produce, the ability to verify facts, exercise sound editorial judgement and earn public trust becomes even more important.
For news organisations around the world, the challenge is no longer simply whether to adopt AI, but how to ensure that its adoption strengthens rather than undermines the fundamental values of journalism.
