PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) continues its efforts to help the public verify the authenticity of information and combat fake news.
MCMC Commission Member, Prof Mohamad Salmi Mohd Sohod, said this includes the use of the Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), an AI-powered chatbot that functions as a multilingual virtual assistant, enabling the public to make inquiries and verify information.
Advertisement
.gif)
He explained that the avatar can communicate in Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil, with ongoing efforts to enable it to respond in various local ethnic languages as well.
This is particularly relevant for states such as Sabah, which has more than 34 ethnic groups, as well as Sarawak.
“Today, information spreads rapidly and often goes viral before its accuracy is verified. Therefore, it is important for us to provide accurate and reliable information, such as that reported by mainstream media, which continues to uphold journalistic ethics and safeguard the interests of society,” he added.
He was speaking when closing a course titled “Balancing Virality and Responsible Journalism Amid Speed, Trust and Impact: An Industry Dialogue,” organised by the Malaysia Press Institute (MPI) in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Department of Information Malaysia at The Zenith Hotel, here, on Tuesday.
Also present were MPI President Datuk Yong Soo Heong and MPI Chief Executive Officer Ainol Amriz Ismail.
Meanwhile, he acknowledged that mainstream media faces significant challenges from evolving technology, as well as the rapid spread of viral news and information.
However, he noted that while viral news may attract attention for a short period, responsibly produced journalism remains far more important, particularly in maintaining the trust that media organisations have built over many years.
As such, he expressed confidence that mainstream media can continue to remain competitive amid current challenges through news reporting that upholds integrity and professional standards.
