Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Journalists Association (VJA), in coordination with the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), organised the WAN-IFRA AI Forum 2026 in Hanoi on August 14.
The event marked the first time the forum has been held in Vietnam, representing an important milestone in the digital transformation of the Vietnamese press and highlighting the country’s growing role in the global innovation ecosystem.
It brought together more than 200 delegates, including representatives of State management agencies, leaders of press organisations, researchers, experts and leading artificial intelligence (AI) speakers from the US, Europe, ASEAN and Vietnam. Discussions focused on strategic and practical issues facing the press in the AI era.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Le Quoc Minh, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Chairman of the VJA, highlighted the special significance of the WAN-IFRA AI Forum 2026.
He stressed that the goal is not machine-delivered journalism, but a media sector where people harness technology to enhance existing capabilities to create greater value to the public.
Journalists can use AI to conduct deeper research, improve analysis, tell stories more creatively, and have more time to pursue stories that truly matter to society, he said. Newsrooms can use AI to improve operational efficiency while preserving their identity and social responsibility. At the same time, the press can harness the power of technology while upholding its core values of truth, trust and humanity.
Minh affirmed that digital transformation has become a development requirement for modern journalism. However, it should not be reduced to simply introducing new tools into newsrooms. Its ultimate goal must be to improve journalism quality and better serve the public.
In a world overwhelmed by information, the press must remain a place where truth is sought, verified and trusted by the public, he noted, expressing his belief that the participation of domestic and foreign managers, experts and press leaders will help the WAN-IFRA AI Forum 2026 generate new initiatives, cooperation models and practical solutions, enabling AI to become an effective tool for journalists and newsrooms, and contribute to strengthening public trust in the press.
At the opening session “Strategic Vision on AI,” moderated by Ezra Eeman, AI expert and Strategy and Innovation Director at the Dutch Public Broadcaster NPO, Minh also presented a strategic perspective on the impact of AI on the global and Vietnamese media industries.
Zhang Jun, Chief Technology Officer of the South China Morning Post, subsequently shared practical experience in the organisation’s AI-driven digital transformation.
A key session on AI newsroom and workflows in AI-powered newsrooms brought together experts from The Straits Times of Singapore and Fathm of Colombia to discuss how leading media organisations integrate AI into journalistic workflows and develop AI-ready newsroom models.
The session on governing large-scale AI, featuring representatives from Hearst Newspapers of the US and OK Lab of Switzerland, examined governance frameworks needed to safeguard public trust, promote innovation and ensure newsrooms retain control over their AI future.
The forum also showcased practical AI applications by Vietnamese media organisations, including VnExpress and the Ho Chi Minh City Press, Radio and Television Agency (HTV).
The session on the future of agentic AI, led by Derrick Ho of Hearst Newspapers, introduced the latest trends in AI systems that can autonomously carry out complex sequences of tasks, opening new approaches to future newsroom operations.
The forum took place as Vietnam steps up implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation, along with the National Digital Transformation Strategy for 2026-2030./.
