The paradox of our age

. The writer is an educationist based in Kasur City. He can be reached at m.nadeemnadir777@gmail.com The progressive approach to technology underpins the acknowledgement of every new advancement for the betterment of human civilisation, but we must be extra cautious when the very advancement threatens the existence of what it feeds on. The context is World News Day, which falls on September 28th and is being observed this year at a time when journalism is existentially threatened by generative AI. The first casualty wrought by the onslaught of generative AI bots is the loss of trust. "This is the paradox of our age. The most connected societies in history are also among the most vulnerable to confusion, manipulation and distrust," says the op-ed 'The Integrity Dividend' by David Whimsley, President, World Editors Forum. Phil Chetwynd, Global News Director, AFP, labels the utopian future of AI as another so-called 'news agency killer' in his op-ed 'Dystopia, Inc', available on the World News Day organisation's website, and reproduces an ironical question: "Why pay for your professional journalism when information is being delivered free in real time? Why waste money employing journalists to gather information that can be aggregated by our new chatbot friends?" He himself demystifies the fad of AI: "Part of the answer lies in the little chatbot disclaimer which says the information in your AI overview may actually be wrong." He narrates how global news agencies deployed their journalists to gather the first-hand information of the flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border this August. All the authentic information and visuals came from news agencies like AFP, Reuters and AP. But then what followed was the digital deluge of deepfake images emotionally manipulating the viewers with 'artificially generated destroyed villages and bodies lined up for burial'. The World News Day organisation asserts 11 world renowned economists gave the clarion call that every sector of society, from the economy to health, education and the military, relies upon the production of factual and robust information. Conversely, governments are funding generative AI tools, spawning untruth. Its fallout includes the comedown of economies. UNESCO estimates that disinformation costs our global economy between 350 and 510 billion US dollars per annum. The misplaced investment starves the news media with newsrooms closing their doors and cutting staff; no one will be left on the ground to report on the wildfire as it happens or to uncover the next corruption scandal. Experts assert that the investment of only 0.1% of global GDP, equivalent to 15 days of global military spending, will ensure healthy public media. "Getting to the facts costs money, time, expertise and effort," writes Phil Chetwynd. If tech companies feed upon journalism, should the journalism ecosystem receive a sustainable share of the value created by that very economy? Australia passed this August a legislation, the News Bargaining Incentive, that binds the tech giants to pay millions of dollars in levies if they don't strike commercial deals with local media outlets, whose content helps drive user engagement and advertising revenue on the tech firms' platforms. The world governments have their own axe to grind in defanging public interest journalism i.e. to evade accountability. Public interest journalism exposes fraud and financial crime. A study of 97 countries found that declining press freedom is associated with a 1-2 per cent reduction in real GDP growth, whereas $1 invested in journalism can generate over $100 in public savings through reduced corruption and better public services. Michael Miller, Executive Chairman, News Corp Australasia, in his op-ed 'Truth in an AI World', cites a 2024 study: 'when local news coverage disappears, corruption in that community rises by roughly seven per cent.' "A recent academic study out of Europe put a name to the phenomenon – 'the illusion of knowledge': the more people consume AI-generated summaries, the more informed they feel, even as their actual understanding of the reality gets weaker," writes Michael Miller. David Whimsley warns, "Disinformation is therefore not just a communications problem. It's a governance risk, an economic liability and a direct threat to people's ability to make informed decisions."