Opening keynote
Coronel: Artificial Intelligence cannot stand to power the way journalists do
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) co-founder Sheila Coronel allayed fears about Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) potential to replace journalists, saying that it does not have the backbone to prevent powerful people killing stories.
During the PCIJ’s Fourth Investigative Journalism Conference and months after the flood control scandal erupted, Coronel reminded journalists that AI does not have the humanity to make the daily ethical judgments investigative journalists face.
Coronel added that the technology cannot provide human accountability, where citizens know that real people serve as watchdogs for those in power.
However, Coronel said that investigative journalism is evolving despite challenges and threats to the work. The flood control scandal proved this, she added.
Coronel added that AI cannot replace the human judgement, conscience, and weight of responsibility that a person feels when handed information that could destroy someone’s reputation.
The PCIJ Board of Editors chair said that AI cannot perform legwork in flooded barangays and determine that a so-called public works project labelled as complete is non-existent.
For Coronel, without investigative journalism there would only be press releases and “excuses.”
More than a hundred journalists and student journalists attended the three-day conference with the theme “Speaking Truth to Power, Adapting to Change,” which was held from Nov. 13 to 15 at the Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa.
AI cannot stand up to power the way journalists do. When legal threats come, when powerful people try to kill stories, when sources need protection, that takes courage principle, backbone. No machine will ever have those.
It was real journalists doing real investigation that cut through and give the people the truth they deserve. You strengthened democracy’s immune system when it needed it the most. No algorithm will ever be able to answer the call the way you do.
AI cannot build trust with a whistleblower who’s risking everything to expose corruption.
That government employee who calls you, voice shaking, documents in hand, they’re not calling a chatbot. They’re calling a human being they trust with their safety, their job, maybe their life.
It cannot smell the stagnant water, talk to the families still rebuilding, notice the details that don’t match the official reports. AI cannot look a corrupt official in the eye and ask hard questions, then ask them again and again.
Dahil sa inyo malinaw sa atin ang pagnanakaw ng bilyon-bilyon. Alam natin na dinukot ang perang ito mula sa kaban ng bayan at nilustay sa mansions, private jets, mga Bentley at iba pang luho na nagpapasasa sa magarang pamumuhay.
