Ethical gaps in media raising risks of AI misuse, say experts
Experts have cautioned that unregulated AI use in Bangladeshi media, without ethical standards and clear policies, could lead to serious disorder. While AI is now unavoidable in the digital ecosystem, national and institutional frameworks are essential to prevent misuse.
Speaking at a dialogue titled "Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Bangladeshi News Media" at The Daily Star Centre, Consulting Editor and former Media Reform Commission chief Kamal Ahmed said, "We identified crisis sources, made reports, but nothing changed. Ethical gaps in the media are now clear. Media operates without any moral compass."
He stressed that following editorial guidelines could reduce AI risks, though current practices often ignore the subjects' right to respond. Warning that self-regulation is crucial, he added, "Without it, the consequences will be severe." Highlighting AI's global impact, he said, "There is no escaping this train. Without policies, AI use will create disastrous chaos."
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The Daily Star's deputy editor, Arun Debnath, noted that they prioritise accuracy over speed in AI use, calling it the main challenge. Although AI is relatively inexpensive, he said the key issue is aligning individual skills with institutional frameworks. "AI tools like Grammarly or Google Translate are essential; they always require human verification," he added.
iSocial chair Ananya Raihan flagged generative and agentic AI as risks for sustained propaganda, urging transparent correction policies and log maintenance while cautioning against excessive regulation.
UNDP Bangladesh senior governance specialist Sheela Tasneem Haq stressed cross-border accuracy and proposed a national coalition to ensure information truthfulness, advocating human-centric AI. Professor Din M Sumon Rahman highlighted AI's challenge to academia, noting students use it to produce highly credible fake content, pushing the world toward a post-truth era, and recommended mandatory disclosure for AI-generated content.
MRDI Programme Manager Syed Samiul Basher presented the keynote at the event, with contributions from BBC Country Director Md Al Mamun, journalists Talat Mamun, Shawkat Hossain Masum and Tanim Ahmed, and academics Maliha Tabassum and Saiful Alam Chowdhury, among others.
