-Media investment has become increasingly tied to national security and social stability

-Youth have a pivotal role in advancing both development and awareness, and media is a vital tool for winning both battles

-The growth of AI-driven tools in media has sparked fierce competition between humans and machines

-AI has become a central component in news production, reshaping roles and required skills

-Strengthening research–media partnerships is essential to producing credible, creative, and meaningful content

TRENDS Research & Advisory, through its virtual office in Egypt and its Youth Council, and in cooperation with the UAE Journalists Association, began its participation in the second edition of the Arab Youth Media Creativity Summit 2025, held under the theme “Innovative Media… Pioneering Work”. The Summit is organized by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, under the patronage of the Secretariat-General of the League of Arab States and the Egyptian Cabinet, and continues in New Alamein City, Egypt, until August 21.

In his opening remarks at the Summit, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, emphasized that the Arab Youth Media Creativity Summit addresses an issue of vital importance that is closely tied to the future of young people, both professionally and personally. He noted that TRENDS’ participation, through a delegation from its Youth Council, reflects the Center’s commitment to supporting Arab youth in exploring opportunities and challenges, particularly in the media field.

Dr. Al-Ali underlined that the rapid transformations in media and creative content industries require urgent and effective action to enhance Arab cooperation in developing the media sector. He stressed the need for more investments in AI tools and harnessing them to serve Arab media objectives, while empowering young people to play a constructive and influential role in producing meaningful content in creative ways.

Keeping Pace with the Knowledge Revolution

Dr. Al-Ali emphasized that there is broad consensus among world governments on the pivotal role of youth in advancing both development and awareness. He noted that the media serves as a vital tool in winning both battles by producing creative content that not only supports national aspirations and goals, but also keeps pace with the ongoing knowledge and technological revolution. Crucially, Al-Ali stressed, this vision cannot be realized without the active participation and direct contributions of young people.

He pointed out that the world is currently undergoing profound and rapid transformations in content creation, led by the AI revolution. AI, he said, is now shaping the future of the world and presents enormous opportunities and challenges for the media industry. This is especially true given the exponential growth in AI-driven media and content production tools, which have sparked fierce competition, not only between humans and machines, but also among institutions competing over how extensively they integrate AI tools into their operations. This, in turn, affects how effectively these institutions meet their objectives in terms of audience reach, influence, and expansion.

Al-Ali went on to say that these developments are deepening the connection between media and the business sector, transforming media investment into a highly strategic and complex undertaking. He underlined that media’s growing entanglement with national security and social stability has made it more important than ever, particularly amid concerns over the potential misuse of AI in media and content creation. Such misuse, he warned, could negatively affect collective awareness and facilitate the spread of false and misleading information.

Innovation in Media

Saqer Al-Suwaidi, researcher, official spokesperson for TRENDS Research & Advisory, and member of the TRENDS Youth Council Advisory Board, participated in the plenary session of the Arab Youth Media Creativity Summit 2025. He remarked that the summit’s theme, “Innovative Media… Pioneering Work”, reflects not only a slogan but a mindset and work ethic embraced by the UAE. Media innovation, he said, is a catalyst for creative ideas, transforming knowledge into a force that drives development and shapes the future.

Al-Suwaidi noted that the media landscape in the UAE has evolved from ink to intelligence and structured digitalization. Media institutions have transitioned to digital platforms and smart applications, all within a flexible legislative framework that upholds credibility and responsibility. Today, in the era of smart media, AI has become a central component in news production, tool development, and the reshaping of roles and required skills.

He emphasized that this transformation brings with it significant challenges for innovative media capable of producing impactful work, including deepfakes, the rise of news bubbles, diminishing depth of knowledge, and the lack of ethical frameworks and intellectual property protections governing AI use. In this context, TRENDS Research & Advisory stands out as a pioneering model in bridging scientific research and media practice. The center not only produces in-depth studies, but also transforms research-based knowledge into credible media content, acting as a knowledge bridge between think tanks and media platforms.

Practical Recommendations

During the Summit’s plenary session, Al-Suwaidi presented three practical recommendations to advance innovative media. First, he called for the establishment of an AI ethical governance framework in media to set clear guidelines for the use of emerging technologies and hold platforms accountable through transparency and responsibility. Second, he stressed the importance of training media professionals in prompt engineering and understanding data biases. Third, he urged stronger partnerships between think tanks and media outlets to ensure that media content is grounded in reliable data and in-depth analysis.

Al-Suwaidi concluded by stating that the UAE’s media journey from ink to intelligence is not merely a tale of technological advancement, but a reflection of strategic foresight and future-oriented vision. It is a recognition that when media is rooted in research and knowledge, and guided by ethical values, it becomes a powerful soft force that safeguards national identity and drives innovation toward meaningful, transformative achievements in both the present and the future.