An international conference on AI and media is held in Oman, with a focus on the $30 billion increase in the AI-powered media sector by 2030.

The “4th international conference on the present and future of communication, media, and the AI revolution” is being hosted by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), which is the Sultanate of Oman’s representative.

Muscat – The conference, which opened on November 17 under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Abdullah Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information, is bringing together experts to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on media and communication industries.
The three-day event features over 60 scholarly papers discussing the philosophical frameworks and practical applications of AI in media, with a focus on the Arab region and global trends. Topics include AI’s role in content creation, media education, and the risks and opportunities presented by AI in media production, such as the potential for job disruption and misinformation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, H.E. Dr. Abdullah said that artificial intelligence changes many aspects of life, notably in innovative fields and content creation. He pointed out that “AI will bring about major changes, some of which are positive and some appear to be negative, at least for the time being, like change in media jobs, the production of media content and the risks of misinformation through the use of media”.

Highlighting the positive aspects, H.E. Dr. Abdullah said that AI would generate new jobs and help media institutions comprehend audience trends by utilizing AI technologies to read big data in the process of developing media content.
In a press statement, Dr. Abdullah stated that the conference coincides with two important events: celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the start of broadcasting of Oman TV, way back on 17 November 1974, and the promulgation of Oman Media Law that regulates media action and maintains a balance between freedoms, rights and responsibilities of media persons and institutions.
For his part, Dr. Abdullah Khamis Al Kindi, Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Conference, said that some reports and studies indicate that prospects of growth in market volume for AI applications in the media sector are set to grow from $10 billion in 2022 to more than $30 billion by 2030.
He added that some indicators point to the “use of AI algorithms in allocating content to about 80 percent of users on social media platforms”. It is also believed that about 70 percent of global media institutions are taking steps to increase reliance on AI applications for analyzing audience interaction on social media platforms and improving the speed of content production by more than 50 percent in media institutions that rely on artificial intelligence applications.
The conference seeks to intensify research efforts related to media and communication within the framework of the AI revolution and to explore the future of the media and communication and its challenges.

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