Autocrats and Algorithms: Tools to Defend Press Freedom in the Age of AI 

AI-supported tools are rapidly transforming how news is produced, distributed, and consumed - while also creating serious new threats to press freedom. In many autocratic contexts, governments are already using AI to crack down on independent journalists, expanding digital surveillance and intimidation. In addition, autocratic leaders are strategically deploying AI-generated disinformation to manipulate public discourse to their advantage, hindering the work of a free press.

Journalists, especially in authoritarian, developing contexts are often left to confront these challenges without the necessary resources and protection. This panel will highlight practical strategies and tools they can use to defend press freedom and uphold journalistic integrity in the age of AI.