Fact VS Fabrication: Why Integrity Still Defines Journalism
Times of Bennett | Updated: Sep 19, 2025 17:58
By Aradhya Mohan
PC: Samarth Mahajan
In an age where information travels faster than truth, the role of journalists has never been more critical, or more complex. The rise of generative AI has transformed newsrooms into high-speed engines of content, blurring the line between authenticity and fabrication.
This reality was highlighted on September 12th, 2025, by SirJatin Gandhi , trainer with AI for Digital Readiness and Advancement (ADiRA), who emphasised the urgent need for media professionals to adapt, question, and responsibly deploy AI in their work. His insights are constantly reinforced in students under the academic leadership of Professor Dhiraj Singh , Deputy Dean of Times School of Media (TSOM) and Head of the Centre for Media and Technology, Bennett University.
While artificial intelligence has quickly shifted from being a futuristic concept to an everyday tool for media professionals, this session highlighted that fact-checking remains the cornerstone of credible journalism, even in an AI-driven world. AI must be seen as a collaborator, not a replacement. It is an apparatus that assists in research, pattern recognition, and content creation. However, the human element is just as crucial, and will continue to remain so, seeing as it provides the context, sensitivity, and ethical framework. In Sir Jatin Gandhi’s words, “We are scared of machines because they can think,” but it is important to remember who gave them that power.
The session made it clear that while artificial intelligence can facilitate the flow of information, it also brings with it, the risk of hallucinations; instances where machines generate entirely false outputs. In journalism, where credibility is the foundation of trust, such errors can be disastrous if left unchecked. This is why fact-checking is not an option, but rather, an essential safeguard in today’s era of automation.
Sir Jatin Gandhi reminded us that technology is only as reliable as the humans who direct it. Algorithms may shape narratives, but truth will always remain a human responsibility.
(Aradhya Mohan is a budding journalist with a flair for writing, a creative mind that sees stories everywhere, and communication skills that make her ideas resonate. She blends curiosity with clarity, always chasing narratives that matter.)
PC: Samarth Mahajan
In an age where information travels faster than truth, the role of journalists has never been more critical, or more complex. The rise of generative AI has transformed newsrooms into high-speed engines of content, blurring the line between authenticity and fabrication.
This reality was highlighted on September 12th, 2025, by Sir
While artificial intelligence has quickly shifted from being a futuristic concept to an everyday tool for media professionals, this session highlighted that fact-checking remains the cornerstone of credible journalism, even in an AI-driven world. AI must be seen as a collaborator, not a replacement. It is an apparatus that assists in research, pattern recognition, and content creation. However, the human element is just as crucial, and will continue to remain so, seeing as it provides the context, sensitivity, and ethical framework. In Sir Jatin Gandhi’s words, “We are scared of machines because they can think,” but it is important to remember who gave them that power.
The session made it clear that while artificial intelligence can facilitate the flow of information, it also brings with it, the risk of hallucinations; instances where machines generate entirely false outputs. In journalism, where credibility is the foundation of trust, such errors can be disastrous if left unchecked. This is why fact-checking is not an option, but rather, an essential safeguard in today’s era of automation.
Sir Jatin Gandhi reminded us that technology is only as reliable as the humans who direct it. Algorithms may shape narratives, but truth will always remain a human responsibility.
(Aradhya Mohan is a budding journalist with a flair for writing, a creative mind that sees stories everywhere, and communication skills that make her ideas resonate. She blends curiosity with clarity, always chasing narratives that matter.)
