IPTC standards took centre stage in Riyadh recently as industry leaders gathered to discuss the future of the media and news technology. Invited to participate in the Saudi Media Forum (February 2–4, 2026), the IPTC focused on critical topics including AI opt-out guidelines and media provenance.

AI in the Newsroom: A High-Level Panel

Brendan Quinn, Managing Director of the IPTC, joined a high-level panel to explore the transformative impact of AI on the global media landscape. He was joined on stage by Peter Kropsch, CEO of Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) and Earl J. Wilkinson, CEO of the International News Media Association (INMA). The session was moderated by Najlaa Habriri, Senior Editor and Political Commentator at Asharq Al-Awsat, a Saudi newspaper based in London.

Key Discussion Points

The wide-ranging conversation addressed how news organisations can navigate the “smart media” era:

• Content Control: Leveraging technical standards to help publishers retain rights and control over their output.
• Editorial Integrity: Integrating AI into workflows while safeguarding accuracy, accountability, and editorial responsibility.
• The Modern Newsroom: How hybrid roles, blending editorial, data, and audience expertise, are reshaping recruitment and staff development.

International representation

The forum featured many speakers from the international media industry, including Ben Smith (Semafor), Tony Gallagher (The Times), Karen Elliott House (formerly of The Wall Street Journal), Julie Pace (Associated Press) and Vincent Peyrègne (formerly of WAN-IFRA), alongside prominent local media leaders from across the Middle East.