Abdullah Al Hamed: Trust between the community and its leadership formed a line of defence against rumours

During the session "Arab Media in a Changing World", held on the third day of the Arab Media Summit 2026, His Excellency Abdullah Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office, said artificial intelligence could become a threat to countries if they are not adequately prepared to deal with it. He stressed that preparation for these transformations should not be limited to governments, companies and institutions. It should also extend to society, individuals and even children. He said the world is undergoing rapid changes that require continuous adaptation. What is needed, he added, is to approach these changes with care, confidence and expertise to maximise their benefits and prepare for their consequences. His Excellency said recent events have demonstrated the risks posed by misleading news and fabricated content circulating on social media platforms. At the same time, he noted that the trust built between the community and its leadership since the establishment of the Union, and even before it, has served as a fundamental line of defence against misinformation and rumours. He explained that the community itself played a direct role in countering disinformation. Citizens and residents took the initiative to publish videos from locations that some social media posts falsely claimed had been targeted or affected by incidents. These efforts helped reveal the reality on the ground and disprove fabricated content circulating online. He said this response reflected the community's level of awareness and its readiness to deal with the risks posed by artificial intelligence and misleading content. He added that the media has also fulfilled its responsibility by challenging fabricated news and clarifying facts for the public. His Excellency added that dealing with content published on social media platforms requires individual awareness and caution. People should not accept everything they see at face value, especially as some content may be inaccurate or fabricated. He stressed the importance of using these platforms positively rather than contributing to the spread of false information. He explained that responsibility for verifying information begins with the individual and the way information is handled. The state's role, he said, is to prepare society and provide the tools and resources needed to deal with different situations. It must also educate people about the mechanisms that help distinguish between accurate and inaccurate information. Al Hamed stressed the importance of not accepting any information before verifying it through reliable sources. He told the audience that the principle of verification should apply to everything, even information heard from trusted individuals. Any information, he said, should be verified before being believed or shared. Al Hamed noted that developments in this field are accelerating rapidly. He said artificial intelligence technologies have become capable of producing fabricated content that is increasingly difficult to distinguish from reality. This makes public awareness and the media's role in verification and combating disinformation more important than ever. H.E. Abdullah Al Hamed said that verifying information during times of crisis begins with referring to official channels and the state's trusted sources. People should avoid relying on accounts or individuals outside the country who circulate unverified information about events taking place within it. He said the UAE has long embraced transparency as a guiding principle. Recent events, he noted, have demonstrated the country's commitment to making information available through official channels to clarify facts and explain developments. This includes responding to public inquiries to ensure that people have access to information directly from the source. Responding to a question from the moderator about whether he had ever seen a photo or video that he initially believed was real before discovering it had been generated by artificial intelligence, Al Hamed said this had happened to him. However, he stressed that he never takes action or forms an opinion based on content before verifying its authenticity and source. He explained that he uses technical tools, including artificial intelligence applications, to trace the source of images and information being circulated. He then refers back to the original source to determine whether it is an official entity or a credible media outlet. He stressed that verification does not end with identifying the source, but also includes assessing its credibility. In response to another question about whether individuals can still afford to ignore artificial intelligence in their professional and personal lives, Al Hamed said keeping pace with the technology is no longer optional. Individuals must continuously update their knowledge and develop the skills needed to understand its risks and benefit from its capabilities. He noted that concerns about new technologies have emerged