PIB official highlights role of fact-checking, AI tools at Vartalap workshop

PIB Additional Director General Shruti Patil stressed the importance of fact-checking and responsible use of AI tools at a Vartalap workshop in Sangareddy, highlighting challenges posed by misinformation and the need to improve journalistic standards

Sangareddy: Additional Director General (ADG), Press Information Bureau, Shruti Patil highlighted the role of PIB in disseminating accurate and official information across ministries and said its Fact Check Unit plays a crucial role in debunking fake news, especially in the era of artificial intelligence.

Addressing journalists in Sangareddy during the day-long “Vartalap” workshop, Shruti Patil said such training sessions help journalists enhance and upgrade professional standards of reporting, as they are aimed at equipping them with modern tools and AI to identify fake news and ensure fair dissemination of information.

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District Collector P Pravinya emphasised the growing importance of fact-checking in the digital age and noted that the rise of AI-generated content, misleading visuals and misinformation poses serious challenges.

“Even a small piece of misinformation can create panic and harm society, the economy and public trust. Workshops like VARTALAP help journalists stay updated and improve their professional abilities,” she said.

Another speaker, Satya Priya, demonstrated the use of various AI tools in journalism, including NotebookLM, ChatGPT, Google Pinpoint, ElevenLabs and Gemini AI, and encouraged journalists to adopt these technologies responsibly to identify misinformation and improve reporting accuracy. She also cautioned against sharing personal or sensitive information on AI platforms.

The workshop concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session.