KUALA LUMPUR: As artificial intelligence reshapes the media landscape, journalism must remain firmly rooted in strong values and ethics, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said while AI was becoming increasingly accessible and offered vast opportunities to improve capabilities across industries, its development and use must be guided by integrity and strong moral principles.
“We must be prepared to face the challenges brought about by technological advancement by enhancing our capabilities and skills across all fields.
“As AI becomes increasingly accessible to everyone, we must exercise caution in how we approach and develop this technology.
"We must strive to advance AI in a way that is more integrated and firmly grounded in strong values and ethics,” he said in his address at the Malaysian Journalism Night 2026 and the MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Awards 2025 on Friday (July 17).
At the awards ceremony, the Star Media Group (SMG) won three gold awards, two silver and four bronze, including the prestigious A. Samad Said Young Journalist Award (Print), Best News Reporting and Best Infographic categories.
Anwar said Malaysia's technological progress should be driven by knowledge, skills and talent, with emphasis on digital adaptation and literacy, while ensuring technological advancement does not come at the expense of the country's values and identity.
He also cautioned against the misuse of AI to promote ideologies or manipulate information without restraint, stressing the need for responsible governance as the technology continues to evolve.
"Today, the captive mind extends beyond colonial thinking to include technology and digitalisation. We must master these technologies while ensuring we continue to uphold our values and ethics," he said.
Earlier, Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong said journalism's core values of truth, integrity and public trust must remain non-negotiable despite AI's growing role in newsrooms.
While AI could help accelerate newsroom processes and improve productivity, he said it could never replace editorial judgement, field experience, integrity and the human values underpinning credible journalism.
To prepare journalists for the evolving media landscape, Yong said MPI would continue strengthening training in reporting, editing, digital journalism, data analytics, cyber security and the ethical use of AI.
