As artificial intelligence (AI) technology begins to expand in Cambodia – particularly in the media industry –government officials have expressed concerns over its misuse or possible unethical applications, warning that such actions could have a negative impact on individuals and organisations, as well as wider society.

TranslateKh, a smart assistant tool which uses AI and deep learning technology to translate words, phrases and texts between Khmer and English, was officially introduced at the Cambodia AI Forum 2024. 

Themed “Exploring AI Innovations and Prospects for Cambodia’s Future,” the event took place on November 25. 

The forum was organised for the purpose of discovering AI technology trends and initiatives from experts from France, South Korean, Thailand and Cambodia, along with the progress of AI in Cambodia.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications explained that TranslateKh was built with a database of approximately 15 million translated sentences, covering general conversations and national-international media. It reported a 97 per cent accuracy rate.

AI technology has also been adopted on social platforms to read Khmer text aloud, using female and male voices named Srey Mom and Piseth, respectively. Some public and private organisations are also using AI to read English text to promote their activities to the public.

AI-powered voice synthesis can transform a standard voice into tones reflecting emotions like anger, sadness, surprise, curiosity and even optimism. Additionally, AI can mimic a celebrity's singing voice, enhancing creative applications.

Despite AI’s emerging presence in Cambodia, its usage across industries like the media remains limited. Meanwhile, some countries in the region, and the US, are already integrating AI extensively into newsrooms.

During the Asian Media Leaders Summit 2024 in Singapore and the Asia Media Forum 2024 in Sri Lanka this month, participants shared experiences and highlighted AI's role in supporting basic journalism tasks such as topic research, translations, summaries, fact and grammar checking, and data analysis. In addition, the tool can be used to create headlines and even write sports articles.

An online AI tool was used to generate this image of a Cambodian official warning members of the media about the possible pitfalls of the use of AI. ChatGPT

However, the participants cautioned against complete reliance on AI for investigative reporting or of the substitution of real images with AI-generated ones, especially without disclosure. The attendees called for media outlets to disclose when AI has been used to generate any content or images.

Among the concerns raised by the attendees about the rise of AI are a reduced need for human resources and a possible loss of public trust, due to possible claims of “fake news”.

They also warned that the use of AI can also make journalists less responsible, as the content of an entire news article is presented to an AI ​​system before it is released to the public.

To address ethical and transparency challenges, media organisations are urged to establish firm guidelines on the use of AI in newsrooms. 

On a societal level, government officials expressed concerns about the potential abuse of digital technologies for personal or political gains, which could breach ethical standards.

During the recent “Digital Democracy and Artificial Intelligence in Promoting People's Participation and Good Governance in Cambodia” dialogue,  Government Spokesperson Unit chief Pen Bona warned that some people use digital technology to serve political goals, personal interests or even business interests. He noted that this can have extremely negative consequences.

“Sometimes we see that online digital technology has become a platform for insulting each other, insulting the leaders of the country and even the King. This is a challenge,” he said. 

He also highlighted the potential misuse of AI, offering the cloning of voices or faces as an example.

“They can clone human faces and voices – they could even make a voice that sounds like mine. For example, they could use my voice with someone else’s face. This could be dangerous if used unethically,” he said.

He added that to ensure that advanced technologies benefit society, stakeholders must collaborate on balanced and ethical AI practices.

Ministry of Information spokesperson Tep Asnarith also addressed the issue.

He explained that in recent years, digital technology has grown rapidly and has created a new working environment, one that provides additional means to support the process of socio-economic development in Cambodia, as well as globally.

He said that digital technology has created new opportunities and innovations that contribute to productivity, efficiency and connectivity, among people and countries around the world.

He noted that while AI is also being used to assist with writing and scripting news, it must still be verified and edited by human specialists to ensure quality, accuracy and security of information.

“The Information ministry – as well as the wider government – places a great deal of importance on the training of digital human resources in the media industry. We want to increase the professional capacity of technical and information officers by improving their literacy and digital literacy,” he said, adding that understanding the main principles and governance of artificial intelligence technology will ensure efficiency.

Asnarith explained that advanced technology offers ease of use, but also brings with it a number of potential disadvantages, especially in terms of the creation of false information that can cause confusion, social unrest or disrupt peace. 

“The spread of fake news has increased significantly in the digital age, where technology has advanced, especially through the use of social media, including the use of AI technology,” he noted, adding that the use of modern technology must strike a balance between risks and benefits.

“Efforts to combat fake news and maintain societal stability require a collective will and close collaboration among all stakeholders,” he explained.