The UAE Media Council, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, organised on 17th and 18th November a specialised workshop titled "Engineering the New Media Era with Artificial Intelligence", in collaboration with the New Media Academy at Creators HQ in Emirates Towers.

The workshop witnessed the participation of experts and specialists from media, news and marketing departments in GCC countries, who were extensively trained on the use of a wide range of artificial intelligence tools designed for the media sector.

The workshop and related field visits held in Dubai aimed to provide an integrated interactive experience that contributes to empowering Gulf media professionals by equipping them with practical expertise that enhances their leadership capabilities and raises their professional readiness.

The initiative supports the production of more accurate and reliable content, accelerates publishing processes, improves the quality of media work and enhances creativity across various platforms.

Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, affirmed that empowering talent with artificial intelligence is fundamental to the future competitiveness of the media sector, stressing the importance of adopting continuous programmes, policies and strategies that raise the readiness of media professionals in GCC countries and enhance the sector’s flexibility and appeal.

He noted that developing media capabilities and equipping them with advanced technologies contributes to creating a more innovative environment and opens the door to launching pioneering productive, media and creative projects in the region.

He added that the global market offers the region a unique opportunity, and that investing in skills is an investment in the future of media, as international estimates indicate that the size of the AI market in media and entertainment may reach US$99.48 billion by 2030, which requires integrated strategies to qualify talent and leadership and develop the skills needed to enable Gulf media institutions to lead the use of artificial intelligence in the near future.

He praised the advanced level of the participants, pointing out that Gulf media talent possesses what qualifies them to lead the new media era, and that their commitment to expanding their knowledge and transferring advanced expertise and technologies to their institutions and colleagues enhances the practical impact of these programmes in developing the media work environments they supervise and operate within.

The workshop began by presenting the story and impact of artificial intelligence in media, followed by practical applications of its advanced tools for use in producing smart, creative and publication-ready media content, including videos, images and text, and employing them in research, archiving and media project management.

The workshop trained participants to transform editorial work into highly intelligent, high-quality systems while ensuring adherence to professional ethics and reinforcing credibility through content verification and overcoming deepfake challenges across various media, news and creative fields.

The practical component of the workshop concluded with training participants to design their own smart assistant, known as an AI Agent, to serve as a personal aide in their various daily tasks, both routine and research- or creativity-related.