Indian Catholic journalists urge human judgment as AI reshapes the newsroom

The Indian Catholic Press Association has urged journalists to put humanity, dignity and truth at the centre of their work as artificial intelligence changes how news is produced, distributed and consumed. The call closed the association's 31st National Convention of Christian Journalists, held Sept. 19-20 in Bengaluru under the theme, “Humanity, Dignity and Truth: Journalism without Compromise in the Age of AI.” The two-day meeting examined AI's opportunities and risks for news production, information dissemination and public debate. Speakers argued that accuracy, verification, accountability and independent editorial judgment must remain intact as newsroom technologies develop. The convention backed responsible, ethically guided use of technology, rejecting both blanket hostility to it and treating it as an unquestionable solution. Participants also called for an “ecology of communication” in which verified information, reasoned argument and serious journalism take priority over instant reactions. Discussions addressed the reliability of AI-generated material, algorithmic bias, transparency and the duty to verify information before publication. The deliberations drew on Pope Leo XIV's May 15 encyclical, *Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence*, which emphasizes protecting human dignity, truth and freedom while directing technology towards the common good. They also considered his World Day of Social Communications message, “Preserving Human Voices and Faces,” which warned that AI can reproduce biases and stereotypes embedded in training data, reinforcing inequality and injustice. A panel moderated by Jesuit media professional Fr. Cedric Prakash widened the discussion beyond technology to representation and reporting practice. The participants were transgender-rights activist Akkai Padmashali, NDTV journalist Maya Sharma, journalist Liz Mathew and Fr. Joshan Rodrigues, editor of *The Examiner*. Padmashali criticized mainstream media's treatment of marginalised communities, saying stories about backward and vulnerable groups often receive inadequate space. She said transgender people must be represented fairly and sensitively. Sharma said AI could give journalists rapid responses and process large amounts of information, but did not possess human curiosity, feelings or lived experience. She said courage, compassion, patience and credibility could not be reduced to technological efficiency, and cautioned journalists against allowing dependence on AI to weaken their language and communication skills. Mathew said human-interest reporting was receiving less attention and that journalism must continue to convey the struggles, experiences and aspirations of ordinary people. Rodrigues urged reporters to move beyond journalism framed chiefly through institutions and people in power, calling instead for reporting that listens to vulnerable communities from the bottom up. “First experience the story and then report,” he said. The association released a theme book of articles on journalism, human dignity and AI during the convention. Bishop Henry D'Souza, the ICPA's ecclesiastical adviser and Bishop of Bellary, formally released the volume and presented its first copy to ICPA president Fr. Suresh Mathew Pallivathukal OFM Cap. The book brought together contributions from about 20 media experts. The ICPA also presented annual awards to five media professionals and renewed its commitment to journalism rooted in humanity, dignity and truth.