168 participants joined the webinar “Artificial Intelligence in Media Work: Data Journalism, Editorial Policies, and Safety”, hosted by Women in Media NGO together with the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine and the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of Japan. The strong turnout demonstrates both the relevance of the topic and the broad interest among media professionals.
Transcribing interviews, generating images, voicing over texts — these are just a few of the ways AI can already be used in newsrooms. Some can no longer imagine their work without smart software. If artificial intelligence helps simplify workflows and automate processes, why not use it?
Tetiana Avdieieva, Senior Legal Counsel at Digital Security Lab and a member of the Expert Committee on AI at Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, advises newsrooms to map out all their processes, find out their needs, and assess which specific functions can realistically be delegated to AI — whether it is truly cheaper and genuinely easier than having the same tasks performed by a human.
Alongside its advantages, the widespread use of AI also has negative consequences. Some appear immediately, and others will only become visible over time. This is why it is essential to conduct training, introduce policies, and regulate the use of artificial intelligence.
Olha Herasymiuk, Head of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, noted that ensuring an inclusive and safe digital environment is a top priority for the national regulator. “AI must remain a tool, not turn into a threat,” she emphasized.
Alina Oliinyk, a presenter at Radio Misto nad Buhom in Vinnytsia, said the webinar gave her valuable guidance on the smart use of AI for fact-checking, finding reliable sources, analyzing content, and creating visuals to enhance media materials.
“For me, the key insight was that journalists can use AI as a tool that does not replace them but helps them in their work. I also liked the idea and the advice of newsrooms being honest with their audiences about using AI when preparing journalistic content,” Alina said.
The dead Internet theory
Yuliia Dukach, Head of Disinformation Research at OpenMinds and a PhD in Sociology, spoke about the so-called “dead internet theory.” Online, there are fewer and fewer real human commentators and more and more AI bots. What seemed like a conspiracy theory just a few years ago is now a reality. Even a person without specialized expertise can create a bot farm. A single bot can post a comment every 36 seconds in 40 different topics. Technologies continue to evolve, making bots increasingly difficult to detect. They no longer just leave comments, they live full-fledged digital lives: logging in, posting content, commenting, engaging in discussions, and spreading narratives. They can set the tone of communication, after which real people become involved and help amplify disinformation or “betrayal” narratives.
Tetiana Avdieieva also pointed to a less obvious consequence of the growing use of AI in newsrooms, one that will only become visible in a few years. Traditionally, much of the routine media work was done by students or entry-level journalists. Working alongside experienced colleagues, they learned and grew professionally. If this work is now handed over to AI, the sector may soon face a shortage of specialists.
“If AI starts doing the work of juniors, in five years there will be no mid-level professionals, and in ten — no seniors. That is why training young journalists is in our own interest,” Tetiana said.
A threat to women
One of the biggest threats facing women in the media today is the use of AI to spread disinformation, carry out online attacks, and create deepfakes.
The gender lens is present both in how AI systems operate and in the risks they pose. This was emphasized by Kateryna Levchenko, the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy. She noted that during periods of change and the dismantling of patriarchal stereotypes, manipulation and harm become especially easy. “AI must help, not destroy,” Levchenko stressed.
Olha Herasymiuk underlined that we are living in a disturbing reality where online violence is no longer a rare occurrence but has become systemic pressure.
Albertina Piterbarg, Programme Coordinator for Communication and Information at the UNESCO Office in Ukraine, noted that women face gender-based violence all over the world. In Ukraine, this issue is especially acute, as women journalists play a leading role in documenting the consequences of the war.
“Systematic solutions are needed, because this is not virtual violence. It has real consequences,” Piterbarg emphasized.
Data analyst at TEXTY.ORG.UA, Serhii Mikhalkov, presented research conducted together with Women in Media, analyzing AI-generated TikTok videos created using the images of well-known women journalists. One of the main challenges in studying TikTok is that videos can be deleted both by the platform itself and by content owners.
The team analyzed content using both automated tools and manual checks. Most often, the images of well-known journalists are used to urge viewers to sign petitions, apply for financial assistance, or spread pro-Russian narratives. Such videos can gain millions of views. Not everyone is able to recognize that a video is AI-generated or that its audio track has been altered. As a result, real people may begin harassing real women journalists. Moreover, such videos can be used to steal personal data or to raise the audience of specific channels and further promote narratives beneficial to malicious actors.
“I was struck by the Texty.org.ua research on deepfakes and by the scale of the narratives being spread. It once again convinces me how essential it is to be cautious with such content and always conduct fact-checking,” wrote Ilona Talavyria, a journalist with Gvara Media, in her feedback.
Anna Maksymova, editor at Suspilne Zhytomyr, thanked the organizers for clarifying where to go and how to act when AI is used to discredit media outlets or women journalists. She said she would definitely share this information with her colleagues.
Don’t argue with bots
Ukraine does not yet have strict regulation of AI. Instead, there are recommendations that newsrooms can follow. For example, the Digital Security Lab’s guide “Using Artificial Intelligence Systems in Line with Human Rights”, as well as the Recommendations of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics on the use of AI for creating journalistic content.
In addition to content labeling and avoiding the sharing of personal data with chatbots, experts at the webinar offered several practical recommendations. “Never argue with bots,” advised Yuliia Dukach. Bots are programmed to provoke conflict, and any attempt to persuade them or prove them wrong only expands the space for promoting their pre-programmed narratives. Moreover, “machines have more patience than you do.”
“Train your teams,” added Tetiana Avdieieva. It is important to teach not only how to use AI tools but also media literacy and digital security. Only a comprehensive approach can work. Since technologies are constantly evolving, continuous training is essential.
“Work through failures,” Tetiana also advised. If something incorrect is accidentally published, acknowledge the mistake and issue a correction. “Develop policies and instructions,” the lawyer recommends.
Policies are intended for external use, so that readers, partners, and donors can see them. Instructions are more detailed guidelines for internal use. Tetiana recommends that they include principles, measures, responsible people, communication channels, and crisis-response procedures.
The webinar participants shared what they found most useful and how they plan to apply the new knowledge in their work.
Marichka Iliina, Culture Editor at Lvivska Poshta, announced to her colleagues immediately after the webinar that she would advocate for the development of internal AI usage policies and promote in-depth digital security training.
“The point about nurturing junior colleagues really resonated with me, because I already see how this problem has hit other newsrooms. We’re still not doing too badly, as we only fully moved online two years ago, so we still follow some old-school principles when training young staff. 😉 It was also very interesting to hear about deepfake videos on TikTok. I knew it was a problem, but not to this extent. Thank you for the important knowledge and the motivation to grow in this area,” Marichka shared.
Liubov Krasnovska, journalist and regional news editor at Radio ROKS (Radio TON LLC), also gave serious thought to developing a formal AI policy for the station. Although the team had previously followed informal rules for using AI, the process had never been properly regulated.
“The practical aspects were particularly interesting: how to recognize a bot or a troll, how to respond to them, how to use AI rationally in our work, which systems are better to choose, and what principles are used to create deepfakes. I personally noted down several resources that are best suited for professional use,” Liubov said.
Liza Kuzmenko, Head of Women in Media, reminded participants that the organization documents cases of online violence and urged women journalists not to remain silent and to report cyberattacks.
“Our recent study ‘When Artificial Intelligence Turns Hostile: Gender Threats Against Ukrainian Women Journalists’ shows that every fifteenth respondent (7%) out of 119 surveyed has already experienced AI-based attacks, while another 16% have witnessed such attacks against colleagues. Although the problem is only emerging, several high-profile cases have already been recorded. If discrediting content is being spread about you, it is worth fighting it. Individual complaints may not always work. But if action is taken systematically, it is possible to influence the situation. We have European partners to whom we can transfer data and jointly approach major platforms with demands to remove AI-generated discrediting content. So please reach out,” Liza Kuzmenko urged.
She also emphasized that the safety of women in the media is not only a human rights issue but a prerequisite for freedom of expression. When women journalists are forced to self-censor out of fear of harassment, this undermines both the quality of journalism and the diversity of voices in the media. Responsibility for creating a safe, ethical, and gender-sensitive environment cannot rest solely on those affected. Coordinated action by newsrooms, civil society organizations, the state, and digital platforms is essential, as only joint efforts can safeguard independent journalism in Ukraine.
Author: Olena Kushchenko, Women in Media