The Fourth International Conference of the Department of Mass Communication- Sultan Qaboos University Communication, Media & the Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Present and Future Department of Mass Communication & College of Arts and Social Sciences November 17-19, 2024, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Prelude: The field of communication and media continues to undergo radical changes due to successive and rapid developments in information technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) applications today, notably in content generation through algorithms, have significantly impacted and will further influence the media environment, its characteristics, the nature of media institutions, and those working in them. The production of algorithmically generated content is a significant driving force for integrating AI into the media, given its ability to process massive data and employ it in producing various journalistic and media materials, detecting fake news, and expediting necessary verification stages to ensure media content credibility. AI applications also enhance user experience by facilitating search and information retrieval, providing interactive media content, directing content more appropriately toward target audiences, understanding media trends, and analyzing data for predicting future events. AI applications contribute to expanding the global market for media and advertising services. They enhance strategic communication activities, directing them toward target audiences based on the trends and needs of those audiences, which has dramatically magnified AI's role in strengthening the competitive capabilities of the public relations and advertising market. Recent indicators show a rapid 270% growth in the use of AI applications over the last four years, with 65 countries currently utilizing these technologies. The global market return for AI applications in the media industry is expected to reach $8.4 billion by the end of 2023. International reports suggest that most AI applications focus on several areas, including automating and producing media content (textual, auditory, and visual), detecting fake content, analyzing massive data, and influencing the metaverse. The World Economic Forum's 2020 reports indicated the paradigm shift in future job landscapes towards AI technologies, robotics, and massive data, replacing many current jobs. This technological advancement raises several questions about changes in the media and communication environment, those who work in this field, the skills needed to adapt to future changes, and the ethical and legal challenges associated with employing AI in media production. These questions open avenues for contemplation and discussion about setting the policies, governance mechanisms, and standards related to AI ethics and ensuring responsible media use. What is the impact of the rapid developments in AI technologies on the media? What are the challenges? How do we maintain a balance between the use of intelligent technologies in the media industry and ethical considerations? How does the use of AI affect news credibility? How do we avoid data bias or its impact on media messages? Conference Objectives: 1. Enhance research efforts on the various implications of AI-generative technology on the media industry. 2. Discuss and exchange knowledge, experiences, and experiments related to the use of AI in communication and media and the implications on various media phenomena. 3. Monitor and analyze the impact of employing AI in the media industry. 4. Envision the future use of AI applications in communication and media. Conference Vision: Enrich research efforts related to the current and future state of media and communication in the era of the AI revolution. Conference Message: Analyze the reality and future of media and communication and their challenges in the era of artificial intelligence from philosophical, methodological, and practical perspectives. Conference Goals: 1. Assess philosophical and conceptual frameworks related to the use of AI in communication and media sciences and discuss them. 2. Critically review Arab and international experiences related to AI applications in the media industry. 3. Examine the challenges of media practice and the ethical and legal problems of using AI. 4. Discuss media education and training programs in the context of AI. 5. Envision the future of the media industry in the AI era. Conference Themes: 1. Philosophical and Conceptual Frameworks in the Use of AI in Communication and Media: • Philosophical and theoretical aspects of human machine relations in the age of AI • Conceptual frameworks of artificial intelligence in communication and media research. 2. Use of Applying Artificial Intelligence in Communication and Media Industries, Local and International Experiences • AI and media industries in print, visual, auditory, and advertising media. • AI and organizational strategic communication enhancement. 3. Issues and Challenges of Communication and Media in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: • Privacy and data protection issues. • Implications of AI on the job market in the area of strategic communication and advertising. 4. Media Education and Training Programs in the Field of Communication and Media in the Context of AI: • Media education in the era of artificial intelligence: experiences and challenges. • Media and information literacy and their role in addressing ethical issues of AI in the media. 5. The Future of the Media Industry in the Era of Artificial Intelligence : • The impact of AI on news production, distribution, and consumption. • Expected media applications from the perspective of media professionals and content creators.