Al Mafraq: The Jordan News Agency (Petra) participated in a workshop titled “Artificial Intelligence and Combating Fake News in Political Discourse,” held at Al al-Bayt University. The event was organized by the Bayt Al Hikmah Faculty of Political Science and International Studies and was patronized by the university’s Vice President for Community Affairs, Hani Akho Irsheida.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Dean of the Faculty, Ahed Abu Dhuhaib, highlighted the university’s dedication to integrating modern technologies into political media. He emphasized that such workshops are crucial for equipping students with the skills necessary to identify political disinformation through AI tools.
Othman Tahat, managing editor at Petra, addressed the challenges posed by fake news in political discourse. He explained that political fake news spreads rapidly, targets specific audiences, and often evades manual detection due to its varied forms. Tahat underscored the importance of AI tools in enhancing analytical capabilities and enabling the early detection of misleading content, thereby safeguarding public opinion from manipulation.
Tahat further elaborated on AI’s ability to analyze texts, images, and videos for signs of fabrication and linguistic flaws, which are common in disinformation. He stressed that while AI holds vast potential, effectively combating fake news necessitates a partnership between technological tools and human oversight. He advocated for enhancing the accuracy and transparency of AI models and making these tools more accessible to the general public.
The workshop, moderated by Assistant Dean Sayel Dughmi, concluded with an interactive discussion between students and speakers, focusing on the future role of AI in addressing political misinformation.