COMMUNITY | Cagayan de Oro journalists tackle AI’s role in newsrooms
The session, titled “AI in the Newsroom: Productivity, Ethics & Combating Misinformation,” was organized by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club in partnership with PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, with support from Xavier University’s Development Communication Department.
Source: Smart Communications
Media practitioners, information officers, and journalism students in Cagayan de Oro recently joined a workshop exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping the newsroom.
The session, titled “AI in the Newsroom: Productivity, Ethics & Combating Misinformation,” was organized by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club in partnership with PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, with support from Xavier University’s Development Communication Department.
“Responsible journalism is essential in the digital age. As we in PLDT-Smart continue to champion digital inclusion and internet safety, we wanted to integrate media professionals into our programs,” said Roby Alampay, PLDT and Smart first vice president and group head of public engagement. “With this workshop, we affirm our commitment to empowering journalists with the necessary tools to navigate this evolving landscape.”
Journalist and technologist Jaemark Tordecilla led the workshop, demonstrating how AI can support newsroom tasks such as research, fact-checking, editing, and producing multimedia content. Participants also tested AI tools including chatbots and writing assistants while learning about their ethical and responsible use.
Speakers underscored that AI remains only as effective as its users. “AI is just a tool after all. It’s garbage in, garbage out. If you don’t know how to prompt ChatGPT, then you’ll still get a useless article,” said Cong B. Corrales, vice president for print at the CDO Press Club. He stressed that while AI can process large amounts of data, it cannot replace the judgment and storytelling skills of human journalists.
The initiative also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those promoting quality education, innovation, and strong institutions.
