By, Aisyah Rizka Putri
GOMBAK, 14 May 2026: Following the emergence of AI and its integration within the digital society, the Department of Communication and the Department of English Language and Literature of International Islamic University of Malaysia collaborated with Lumi News Malaysia. This collaboration was a seminar titled “Beyond the prompt: Navigating the Newsroom in a Tech-Driven Era” on Thursday May 14 2026. It was held at IIUM Mini Auditorium to address the rapid integration of AI in the newsrooms.
The seminar featured three main speakers from different news organisations. Speakers include Laila Zain from REV Media Group, Shafizan Johari, Astro Awani, and Izzah Imani, Lumi News. The seminar was conducted successfully, bringing together experts to shed light on the different media industries and how they work around AI.
Bringing students’ concerns to the table, the three experts agree on one hypothesis Mr. Johari put forward, “The challenge is not AI but how the audience interacts with the news.”
The speakers said that the use of AI in newsrooms is currently not up to 100 percent. In addition to that, they addressed that newsrooms are not reliant on AI, but also not against them. It was shared during the seminar that media companies focus on profitability. This highlights the importance of audience engagement and feedback. Audience feedback determines how media will be presented. In this case, decisions on whether or not to incorporate AI generated content in their media.
Especially in the digital era, the guest speakers raise their concerns about the low number of news readers. They highlighted the challenges the journalism field may face if they fail to adapt to new technology, which are happening to a number of news companies. One of the biggest challenges journalists are facing today is the lack of profit they receive, because people are relying on AI algorithms for their news rather than the official news page. This is why many news companies are adopting AI to optimise news distribution, especially on social media.
In response to concerns regarding misuse of AI tools, speakers affirm that media companies have guidelines. AI guidelines are continuously updated as new ethical issues continue to emerge, and audiences’ concerns toward the human element of the future’s journalism are answered, providing reassurance that human oversight remains relevant and essential in modern day journalism.
Mr. Johari remarked, “As long as the audience wants it, journalists will deliver.”
Speakers encouraged future journalists the importance of enhancing one’s critical thinking, expanding culture nuances, and improving writing skills to sharpen human quality in adapting to AI driven changes.
“AI is a tool, but you present yourself,” said Mr. Johari.
The session was concluded with an interactive Q&A session, allowing students to delve deeper towards their own personal worries surrounding AI in the newsroom. Though the seminar itself was integrated with discussions between speaker and audience, a formal Q&A session at the end of the seminar was included, followed by a photo session of three speakers, guests, and participants. The seminar highlighted the importance of adaptation to technological advancement whilst maintaining the human element in journalism.***
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