The event presented over 60 scholarly papers focusing on AI’s influence in areas such as content creation, media education, and the balance of risks and opportunities, including job disruption and misinformation
Oman hosted the fourth edition of the International Conference on the Present and Future of Communication, Media and the AI Revolution. Represented by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), the conference was inaugurated on November 17 under the patronage of H E Dr Abdullah Nasser al Harrasi, Minister of Information. The three-day conference brought together global experts to discuss the profound impact of artificial intelligence on media and communication.
The event presented over 60 scholarly papers focusing on AI’s influence in areas such as content creation, media education, and the balance of risks and opportunities, including job disruption and misinformation.
Speaking at the opening, H E Harrasi said AI is reshaping various fields, particularly content creation, and highlighted its dual nature of presenting both challenges and opportunities. He noted that while AI could disrupt media jobs and pose risk of misinformation, it also offers new employment opportunities and enables media organisations to better understand audience trends through advanced data analysis.
Dr Abdullah Khamis al Kindi, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee of the conference, shared insights into the rapid growth of AI in media, with forecast of the market’s worth increasing from US$10bn in 2022 to over US$30bn by 2030. He highlighted the increasing use of AI algorithms with reports attributing around 80% of social media content to AI.
The conference coincided with two milestones – the 50th anniversary of Oman TV which began broadcasting on November 17, 1974 and the recent enactment of the Oman Media Law designed to balance media freedom, rights and responsibilities.
