The Arab Media Forum (AMF) has been a vital platform that showcases trends and technologies. This year’s AMF included a new avatar powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that allows participants to engage with literary and media luminaries of the Arab world.
The AMF’s 22nd edition also featured an AI hub named AI Garden by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO). The hub spotlights the transformative potential of AI in media. Digital avatars of literary and media figures from the Arab world were among the attractions. They engaged visitors with conversations inspired by their enduring legacies.
“The activations at the hub featured innovative demonstrations of AI-powered art, photography, and visualization,” stated Shaima Al Suwaidi, director of Brand Dubai.
AMF highlights industry trends
Each year, the AMF highlights emerging trends across the industry. Moreover, it opens new pathways for integrating disruptive technologies into the regional media landscape. With the rising trend of AI across different sectors, the AMF ensured that the media industry remains at the forefront of progress.
Through the advanced AI avatar, participants were able to hold conversations with Arab literary and media figures. The forum featured avatars of Ghassan Tueni, the renowned Lebanese journalist and political figure; Habib Al Sayegh, the Emirati poet and writer, and Hani Naqshbandi, the influential Saudi media personality and author.
Guests engaged with the avatars through three dedicated screens, each equipped with an iPad interface. They asked questions, and the avatars responded. The avatar used AI models that are specific to each character depending on extensive literature, information, and interactions they left behind.
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AI photo studio and sketch
This year’s AMF also showcased AI applications in different aspects of the media sector including an AI photo studio. Users controlled the camera themselves using a remote control. The AI technology then instantly processed, edited, and retouched photos, delivering studio-quality images.
Another installation at the forum was an AI sketch that generates visual art. Visitors gave the tool a sketch they drew. Using a prompt to describe the end result they were looking for, the AI sketch provided the final result in only 10 seconds.
Among the other AI installations was Echoes, an installation that celebrated words of inspiration from great Arabic journalists.
In addition, the AMF featured an AI acoustic experience with audio-reactive AI visualization. This real-time translation of audio into visuals is an innovative capability of AI that will transform the media industry.
The AMF 2024 brought together 4,000 participants including thought leaders, media personalities, editors-in-chief, influencers, scholars, writers, and industry experts from around the world to share their perspectives on the region’s evolving media landscape.
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