# IOL CEO Urges African Leadership in AI-Driven Global Media Viasen Soobramoney advocates for inclusive AI governance at the 2026 World Media Summit. - **Source:** [IOL News](https://www.iol.co.za/news) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [technology](https://brifing.si/c/technology) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/2ce73702-c5a0-4977-a493-55f3df7a4c5e ## Global Media Summit Address IOL CEO Viasen Soobramoney delivered a keynote at the 2026 World Media Summit in Beijing. Addressing nearly 500 delegates from 112 countries, he focused on the theme of media in the intelligent age. The event, hosted by Xinhua News Agency, serves as a platform for discussing artificial intelligence and future communication governance. ## Call for Inclusive Governance Soobramoney emphasized that AI development must be guided by principles of inclusion and equitable access. He challenged international media leaders to confront the issue of who controls the emerging digital ecosystem. The CEO argued that technological progress should prioritize journalistic integrity and responsible governance rather than just focusing on rapid innovation. ## Risks of Technological Concentration The CEO warned that the rapid advancement of AI brings significant challenges, including misinformation and deepfakes. He specifically highlighted the danger of algorithmic bias and the concentration of power among a small number of global companies. These issues threaten to marginalize diverse voices if left unchecked by broader international regulatory frameworks. ## Empowering African Journalism A central theme of the address was the need to strengthen Africa's position in the global media ecosystem. Soobramoney noted that African narratives have historically been underrepresented in international systems. He argued that AI offers an unprecedented opportunity for African journalists to tell their own stories through improved investigative and multimedia tools. ## AI as an Equalizer Artificial intelligence could enable rural journalists to compete globally regardless of their geographical location or infrastructure access. By analyzing complex datasets and strengthening verification processes, AI can help African newsrooms produce content for international audiences. This shift could finally allow local communities to reclaim their own narratives from external perspectives. ## Requirement for Sustained Investment Soobramoney stressed that these opportunities depend on sustained investment in skills development and infrastructure. He called for meaningful participation in the ownership and governance of new technologies. Without active involvement in the development phase, the Global South risks merely inheriting decisions made elsewhere, perpetuating existing inequalities in the digital sphere. ## Training Diverse AI Systems The CEO placed particular emphasis on ensuring that AI systems are trained on diverse languages and cultures. He warned against systems that reproduce existing global knowledge imbalances. By incorporating a wider range of societal perspectives, the industry can prevent the reinforcement of biases that currently plague many modern digital information systems. ## Future of Global Communication The summit concluded with a focus on moving from consensus to action regarding AI integration. Soobramoney’s message serves as a reminder that the future of global communication must be inclusive to be truly intelligent. Media organizations must now decide how to balance technological efficiency with the ethical responsibility of serving humanity globally. ## Sources covering this story - https://iol.co.za/news/2026-11-05-iol-ceo-calls-for-africa-to-shape-the-future-of-ai-driven-global-media-at-world-media-summit-in-beijing/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._