FORUM: "Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media." World Press Freedom Day 2025. The observance will focus on the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism, media, and human rights. The Key topics include the transformative role of AI in content generation, information analysis, and dissemination, as well as the ethical challenges, accountability, and issues of mis/disinformation and bias it introduces. The World Press Freedom Day Conference 2025 aims to examine AI's impact on press freedom, exploring how Artificial Intelligence affects the free flow of information, media freedom, and the achievement of SDG 16.10 to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms.
The discussion will:
- Reaffirm the universal commitment to freedom of expression and press freedom
- Explore AI's effects on media pluralism, diversity, and independence
- Assess AI impact on news and media content creation and dissemination
- Encourage media to make ethical use of AI systems in their operations
- Strengthen collaboration between media stakeholders
- Support enabling environments for media to have the rights and resources to effectively report on the benefits and harms of AI systems,
- Encourage global cooperation for journalists safety.
- Support media integration of AI, focusing on viability and representation
- Emphasize the importance of information integrity on AI impacts.
- Promote media and information literacy skills to strengthen critical thinking and competencies needed to understand the use and implication of AI systems.
Follow the conversation with the hashtags:#WPFD2025, #reportinginthebravenewworld, #ai, #WorldPressFreedomDay, #freedomofexpression, #PressFreedom, #journalism, #3may.
EVENTS: On May 7th 2025; From 09:30 to 18:00 Europe/Paris; A one-day signature global event will take place at Bozar, Center for Fine Arts in Brussels on information as a public good in the age of AI. This year the World Press Freedom Day global commemoration will focus on the profound influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism and media under the theme: Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media. AI is transforming journalism, providing tools that enhance investigative reporting, content creation, and fact-checking. It allows for greater efficiency, multilingual accessibility, and improved data analysis. However, these advancements also bring risks: AI-generated misinformation and disinformation, deepfake technology, biased content moderation, and surveillance threats to journalists. Additionally, AI's role in the media business model raises concerns about fair remuneration for journalistic content and media viability. The event will explore these complex issues, bringing together journalists, policymakers, media professionals, and civil society actors to ensure AI strengthens, rather than undermines, press freedom and democratic values. Durin the two plenaries, participants will debate on Plenary I: “AI and the future of Journalism” and Plenary II: “Freedom of expression and AI: Press Freedom, Information Integrity, and the Rule of Law”. Get the concept note, the Agenda Programme and before all Register to participate!
PARALLEL EVENTS: From May 2 to 6th, 2025, several parallel events will be held the commemoration of the Day at the UNESCO Liaison office in Brussels. If you are interested in attending the events at its new location, you are required to register again using this for contact wpfd@unesco.org. Explore the celebrations around the world and the lists the Side-events!
PRIZES: The observance will be also the occasion to award the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, which recognizes and honors the contributions of journalists, particularly those who risk their lives to provide essential information to the public. You can Watch in live the award ceremony!
Statement of The United Nations Secretary-General on World Press Freedom Day 2025.
In a world plagued by conflict and division, World Press Freedom Day highlights a fundamental truth:
Freedom for people depends on freedom of the press.
Free and independent journalism is an essential public good.
It’s the backbone of accountability, justice, equality and human rights.
Journalists everywhere must be able to report freely and without fear or favour.
When journalists are unable to work, we all lose.
Tragically, this is becoming more difficult every year.
And more dangerous.
Journalists face attacks, detentions, censorship, intimidation, violence and even death — simply for doing their jobs.
We are seeing a sharp rise in the number of journalists killed in conflict areas - particularly in Gaza.
And now — as this year’s theme reminds us — press freedom faces an unprecedented threat.
Artificial intelligence can support freedom of expression — or stifle it.
Biased algorithms, outright lies, and hate speech are landmines on the information superhighway.
Accurate, verifiable, fact-based information is the best tool to defuse them.
The Global Digital Compact adopted last year includes concrete steps to strengthen international cooperation to promote information integrity, tolerance and respect in the digital space.
AI must be shaped in a way that is consistent with human rights and puts facts first.
And the Global Principles for Information Integrity I launched last year are supporting and informing this work as we push for a more humane information ecosystem.
On this World Press Freedom Day, let’s commit to make this a reality and safeguard press freedom and the press everywhere.
PUBLICATION: RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025: economic fragility a leading threat to press freedom. Although physical attacks against journalists are the most visible violations of press freedom, economic pressure is also a major, more insidious problem. The economic indicator on the RSF World Press Freedom Index now stands at an unprecedented, critical low as its decline continued in 2025. As a result, the global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of the Index.