Kuala lumpur: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology must be strategically complemented by efforts to strengthen digital and social media literacy to ensure the country's information ecosystem remains safe, ethical, and responsible, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. He emphasized that the rapid advancement of AI should not be viewed in isolation but must go hand in hand with society's capacity to assess, understand, and filter information, particularly amid the growing complexity of the digital landscape.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fahmi highlighted AI as a support system that can help provide early warnings, offer context, and detect potential misinformation, but stressed the importance of users being equipped with a strong level of digital literacy. He posed a critical question to information recipients, asking what kind of attitudes need to be adopted to distinguish between true and false information, suggesting that guidance is essential in navigating digital spaces.
'As recipients of information, readers and viewers, what kind of attitudes do we need to adopt, to ensure we are able to distinguish between true and false information? At the very least, there must be guidance. For example, when we drive a car, we still follow the lanes,' Fahmi explained. Comparing AI to a safety feature in vehicles, he noted its role in sounding the alarm when nearing potential collisions, thus reinforcing the importance of combining AI with digital and media literacy.
In an interview with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Fahmi elaborated on the integration of AI, digital, and media literacy, which he believes can foster a society more resilient to information manipulation, slander, and digital fraud, thereby reducing social harm and public confusion. He acknowledged the government's recognition of the need to leverage AI to combat the misuse of the technology, particularly in addressing the spread of false information and fraudulent content.
Fahmi discussed the 'fighting AI with AI' approach in cybersecurity, noting its application in detecting and countering malicious code and AI-based software. 'We have to fight AI with AI. In cybersecurity, AI is already being used to combat AI-based malware,' he stated.
In the context of journalism and public information dissemination, Fahmi pointed out AI's potential in fact-checking and validating claims. He referred to agent-based artificial intelligence, or agentic AI, as a tool to verify or refute rapidly spreading information on social media platforms. As an example, he mentioned the X platform's use of an AI application called Grok, which provides users with additional context or early verification of viral claims, describing it as an interesting application of AI for news verification, despite its imperfections.