UNIC Manama Highlights Information Integrity and Artificial Intelligence Challenges at Arab Media Forum

The Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Manama, Ahmed Ben Lassoued, highlighted on 16 June the importance of collective efforts to strengthen information integrity and address the growing challenges posed by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence during his participation in the Third Arab Forum on Socially Responsible Media, held in Bahrain.

Addressing policymakers, media professionals, and academics, Ben Lassoued noted that information, as well as disinformation, circulates at unprecedented speed today, while social media platforms have become a primary source of news for large segments of society, particularly young people. 

“The erosion of information integrity can undermine public trust and contribute to the spread of misinformation, hate speech and social polarisation,” he said, emphasising that safeguarding the quality and reliability of information is essential to counterbalance the effects of an information environment increasingly shaped by attention economics. 

Ben Lassoued also highlighted the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the media landscape. While AI offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance learning, innovation and productivity, he noted that generative AI tools can also be used to create highly convincing synthetic content that is increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic information. 

Ben Lassoued underscored that the United Nations considers information integrity and artificial intelligence as global priorities and that collective efforts to address them should always aim to safeguard human rights and freedom of expression while promoting a free, open and inclusive information environment. He drew attention to the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, which call for strengthening public trust, enhancing media and digital literacy, supporting independent and pluralistic media, promoting transparency, and fostering cooperation among governments, technology companies, educational institutions, civil society organisations and media outlets. 

Participants at the Forum underscored the growing importance of responsible media in an era marked by rapid digital transformation, artificial intelligence and evolving communication technologies. Discussions focused on the need to uphold professional and ethical standards, combat misinformation, strengthen public awareness and leverage media as a force for positive social impact.

The Third Arab Forum on Socially Responsible Media was organised by the Regional Network for Social Responsibility in cooperation with Al Athar Social Consultancy and brought together representatives from governmental, academic, media and civil society institutions across the Arab region.