By Yildiz Nevin Kasim
Anadolu is creating its own articifical intelligence (AI) algorithm and app in collaboration with the Turkish Technology Team (T3) Foundation, the global news agency's president and CEO announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening of a forum, Reporter: Rethinking Journalism in the Digital Era, which was organized by Anadolu at its headquarters in Ankara, Serdar Karagoz said: “Very soon, we will share Anadolu and T3 Foundation's language-based AI algorithm and app with the public."
“Our goal is for artificial intelligence to have a reliable principle and ethical code," he added.
Karagoz warned that in the near future, everyone would fall victim to AI designed by global hegemons. "If we do not create our own artificial intelligence, we will see that global hegemony is instrumentalizing artificial intelligence to perpetuate itself," he said.
Underlining that artificial intelligence has initiated significant change and transformation in the media industry, just as it has in every other aspect of life, Karagoz said: “Al plays a crucial role in both the production and consumption processes of news.”
He pointed out that digitalization has revolutionized journalism, not only in terms of format and speed but also access and impact, adding that news can now reach millions of people worldwide within seconds.
"Research shows that while the use of apps that allow reporters to produce news in a shorter time is increasing, some of our skills as journalists are declining,” Karagoz said. “Yes, we have become faster, but our journalistic reflexes and skills have dulled. As Anadolu, we have always worked on how to integrate our journalistic approach with technology."
He also spoke about Anadolu's coverage of Israel's attacks and war crimes in Gaza, highlighting the photos taken by its photojournalists which are now published in book form under the title The Evidence.
"When asked, 'Is Israel committing war crimes?' AI did not show such results despite the evidence, images, and witnesses because it does not have a correct, unbiased and reliable algorithm,” Karagoz stressed.
"Today, as Anadolu, we are striving to ensure that our artificial intelligence thinks correctly, impartially, and with principles by defining and training it with millions of photos and news articles," he added.
The forum was attended by Communications Director Fahrettin Altun besides academics, students and journalists.
*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz