Jammu: The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Jammu on Thursday organised a media workshop ‘Varta’ on the theme “AI Impact Summit 2026” at the Press Club Jammu, along with a training session on the use of artificial intelligence tools for journalists.
The programme aimed to build awareness and capacity among journalists regarding the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in the media ecosystem while familiarising them with AI tools that can enhance productivity and newsroom workflows.
Speaking on the occasion, Director PIB Jammu Neha Jalali said that accessibility, democratisation of AI technology and responsible use of artificial intelligence form the core principles of the AI Impact Summit 2026. She noted that AI is increasingly influencing multiple sectors, including media and communication, and stressed the need for media professionals to adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
She highlighted that AI offers significant potential in improving productivity, enhancing content creation and strengthening fact-checking mechanisms in journalism.
Jalali further said that the government is advancing several initiatives under the national AI mission to promote inclusive technological growth. She referred to programmes such as the IndiaAI Mission, YuvaAI and the SOAR Initiative, which aim to democratise access to AI tools and bridge the digital divide while encouraging responsible use of technology.
She also highlighted initiatives of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, including the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) with a significant budgetary allocation to strengthen India’s media and entertainment technology ecosystem.
Vice President of the Press Club of Jammu Zorawar Singh Jamwal said journalism is undergoing rapid transformation globally and emphasised the need for media professionals to understand and responsibly use AI technologies. He encouraged young journalists to familiarise themselves with AI tools to enhance efficiency and remain future-ready.
Vinit Utpal, Professor at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), said artificial intelligence is reshaping the global media landscape through automation, data analysis and AI-assisted content generation. He observed that newsrooms across the world are adopting AI-driven tools to improve productivity, storytelling and information verification.
He also explained that AI tools enable automated data collection, monitoring of social media trends and real-time information analysis during breaking news situations, while helping journalists verify information and counter misinformation.
Bhawani Singh, Assistant Professor at IIMC Jammu, spoke about prompt engineering and personalisation of AI tools for journalistic work. He emphasised the importance of AI ethics and urged journalists to verify AI-generated outputs, clearly disclose the use of AI in content creation and treat AI as an assistant rather than a replacement for human judgement.
Divyavasu Sharma, Business Head of 25 Technoarts, discussed the growing relevance of AI in crisis communication and sentiment analysis, explaining how AI-driven insights can help organisations and media professionals understand public perception and respond effectively during sensitive situations.
Earlier, Media and Communication Officer Zakir Nazeer, in his welcome address, said the AI Impact Summit marked a significant milestone in the global artificial intelligence landscape. He informed that the summit witnessed extensive participation, with around six lakh attendees in person and over nine lakh cumulative views through live streaming.
Delegations from more than 100 countries and 20 international organisations participated in the summit, while the India AI Impact Summit Declaration was endorsed by 92 countries and international organisations, he added.
The workshop was attended by more than 40 journalists and provided practical insights into the responsible and effective use of AI in journalism, including tools for productivity, content generation, data analysis and fact-checking.
