Cambodia Focuses on Journalist Training to Enhance Information Quality Amidst AI Era

At the opening ceremony of the 9th "Journalist Capacity Building Training" held at the Ministry of Information on July 31, 2026, Cambodian Minister of Information, Net Pheaktra, emphasized that enhancing information quality is the most crucial task for journalists. He stated that in today's competitive landscape, while consumers are "kings," in journalism, the "content itself" is the key to attracting readers. The training, jointly organized by three journalist associations—the World Peace Journalists Federation, the Journalist Youth Federation for Peace, and the Peace Journalists Federation—saw the participation of 180 journalists. Including the previous eight sessions, a total of 1,441 journalists have attended. This year's workshop focused on two main themes: "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy for Journalists and Responsible AI Use" and "Reporting in Crisis and Conflict Situations While Adhering to Professional Journalism Standards." Minister Pheaktra raised questions about how to use AI ethically and responsibly, highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety of both users and information recipients. The Ministry of Information has identified three key elements for information security: first, guaranteeing citizens' "right to access information" by ensuring comprehensive information provision; second, improving the "quality of information" to ensure that only beneficial content is disseminated. He noted the current proliferation of media, with 15 million Facebook accounts and approximately 10 million TikTok accounts in Cambodia, a country with a population of 17 million. Regarding AI utilization, Minister Pheaktra cautioned, "We must not over-rely on AI. AI is created by humans and is not omniscient." He stressed that if journalists delegate article writing to AI, any inaccuracies would ultimately hold the journalist, not the AI, responsible, underscoring that human accountability remains paramount. Source: AKP Khmer