JMSI asks Asian press not to let AI erode regional identity

KUNMING, CHINA - The General Chair of the Indonesian Cyber Media Network or JMSI, Teguh Santosa, asked the Asian press community to build their own narrative in the midst of the rapid use of artificial intelligence. According to Teguh, technology should not make the perspective and cultural values of the region lost behind the algorithm.

Teguh conveyed this at a roundtable meeting of South and Southeast Asian media held by the All China Journalists Association in Kunming, Yunnan, China, Tuesday, July 14, 2026.

The forum raised the theme of the formation of Asian narratives in the era of artificial intelligence. The Indonesian delegation was represented by JMSI together with a number of central and regional managers.

Teguh menilai AI memberi banyak kemudahan bagi industri media, termasuk dalam pengolahan dan analisis data. Namun, teknologi itu juga membawa risiko karena algoritma dapat dibangun dengan sudut pandang dan standar nilai tertentu.

As a result, the issue of Asia can be read through a framework that does not fully understand the culture, history, and conditions of the region's development.

"Therefore, the Asian narrative must be proactively curated," said Teguh.

He encouraged the media to include AI ethics, local cultural values, and regional development realities into digital systems that also shape public opinion.

According to Teguh, the press is not enough to be a user of technology. The media must also ensure that AI does not increase disinformation, hate speech, and conflict.

"The media has a great power to dampen the potential for conflict and promote a peaceful narrative that is soothing," he said.

He assessed that cross-country media cooperation was needed to face major changes in the information ecosystem. Collaboration can be directed at national and regional development issues, civil society relations, green economy, environmental sustainability, and regional stability.

Teguh also touched on the closeness of Indonesia's history with Yunnan. He said the region has a long relationship with the journey of Asian people to the archipelago.

He also raised Admiral Cheng Ho as a symbol of the relationship built through trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. According to Teguh, this spirit is still relevant when the media faces the dominance of algorithms.

JMSI encourages the Asian press community to use AI with rules and interests formulated by themselves. The goal is that technological progress remains in line with transparency, integrity, and human values.

Teguh hopes that the forum in Kunming will produce tangible recommendations and strengthen the media network in the region. The focus is not only on following the development of AI, but ensuring that the technology does not take over the way Asia tells its own story.