AI drives China-Africa media collaboration

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China and African nations are strengthening cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) applications and governance to drive mutual progress in the media sector through technological innovation, experts said at a forum in Beijing on Thursday.

"Today's broadcasting industry is entering a new era. AI, digital transformation, new content platforms, and changes in audience behavior are fundamentally reshaping how events are produced, distributed, and consumed," said Director General of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) Gregoire Ndjaka in his address to the seventh Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation.

At this critical moment, Ndjaka added, the booming cooperation between China and Africa in AI media applications has been a strong source of encouragement.

Sierra Leone would like to see more media technology collaboration with China, said Chernor Abduli Bah, the country's Minister of Information and Civic Education.

"China has built fantastic expertise and professionalism over the years," he said. "It's not just about us benefiting from Chinese technology. It is for us to be part of the process of creating AI models and technologies so that these models can be responsive to our needs."

Nomsa Lebogang Chabeli, CEO of South African Broadcasting Corporation, affirmed AI's positive role in media development. She said that AI helps overcome language barriers, broadens media access for wider audiences, and enables content production for multi-platform distribution.

However, Chabeli also warned of the dangers of AI media applications. How to tackle challenges in AI regulation and governance is exactly what China and African nations can jointly explore, drawing on each other's experiences and enhancing collaboration, she said.

The forum, co-hosted by the National Radio and Television Administration, the Beijing municipal government and the AUB, is held under the theme "Share Development Opportunities, Shape the Audio-Visual Future."

The event attracted about 400 delegates from China and 45 African nations, including those from government broadcasting regulators, media outlets, international organizations, diplomatic missions in China, businesses, and university think tanks.

First held in 2012, the forum has become a key platform for media dialogue between the two sides.

The year 2026 is designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Enditem