The seventh global media summit commenced on Saturday at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital of Beijing to inspect the impact of artificial intelligence as an indispensable instrument for decision makers, particularly within newsrooms.
Bringing together nearly five hundred delegates from one hundred twelve countries and territories, including Algeria, the conference held the official theme “Media in the Intelligent Era: From Consensus to Action.” Discussions revolve around multiple major axes reflecting current sector concerns.
Attendees, whether during the plenary session or workshops, exchanged views primarily on how artificial intelligence can be made accessible to everyone and how it profoundly transforms the economic and editorial models of global media outlets.
The issue of governance did not lag behind. Talks focused on the future of communication regulation on a planetary scale and the necessity of broadening the contribution of developing nations toward crafting rules governing artificial intelligence.
Another important volet was mentioned concerning security and cooperation. Facing global security challenges, media representatives, including the publishing director of Le Jeune Independent, urged strengthening their dialogue and collaboration, notably across fact-checking, joint reporting, and crisis management domains.
The summit also addressed artificial intelligence’s role in fostering intercultural dialogue and expanding exchanges between civilizations, alongside presenting Beijing’s experience regarding modernization and development.
The Chinese Vision Highlighted
The opening ceremony featured the presence of two premier figures from the Chinese Communist Party. Li Shulei, a political bureau member of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Central Propaganda Department, delivered the keynote address. He specifically emphasized that the rapid growth of digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, represents both challenges and opportunities for media outlets while formulating proposals for international media cooperation.
Yin Li, also a political bureau member of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing municipal committee, attended as well and delivered a speech. He recalled that since its inception in Beijing in 2009, the global media summit has established itself as an essential platform for exchange and cooperation among media institutions worldwide.
The 2026 edition confirms the growing scale of the gathering, frequently dubbed the “Media Olympics.”
According to figures shared by the summit secretariat, nearly five hundred delegates stemming from some three hundred thirty institutions representing one hundred twelve countries and territories participated in the proceedings. Algeria was represented by the APS news agency and the daily newspaper Le Jeune Independent.
These participants do not hail exclusively from newsrooms. The conference brought together mainstream media executives, think tank representatives, governmental department officials, alongside United Nations delegates and other international organizations. This diversity demonstrates organizers’ commitment to anchoring discussions on artificial intelligence and information governance within a genuinely multilateral perspective.
Upon concluding the proceedings, the summit is expected to produce several deliverables. Organizers anticipate adopting the seventh “Beijing Consensus,” publishing the 2026 global report on “artificial intelligence and media,” alongside launching an international cooperation initiative aiming to define common standards for artificial intelligence applications in the media sector.
Thematic sessions, a technology exhibition, and cultural tours in Beijing enriched the schedule of this edition, co-organized by the Xinhua News Agency and the Beijing municipal government.
As artificial intelligence redraws journalism boundaries and poses unprecedented questions regarding informational sovereignty, this summit aims to transform stated intentions into concrete commitments.