The Papua New Guinea Government is developing a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy to address the growing risks posed by misinformation and AI-generated content.

Deputy Secretary for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Flierl Shongol, revealed the initiative while addressing media representatives from the pacific and within the country recently in Port Moresby city.

Shongol said AI presents significant opportunities for development but also poses serious risks if left unchecked.

"We realise AI has the potential to benefit the country, but it also has the potential to break apart our families and societies. That is why we need a framework in place," he said.

He said the increasing use of AI-generated content has created new challenges for governments, media organisations and the public, particularly in identifying false information and preventing the spread of misinformation.

According to Shongol, Papua New Guinea's culture of readily accepting information shared on social media makes the country particularly vulnerable to misinformation campaigns.

"Anything people see on social media, they believe it. It is very easy for misinformation and disinformation to spread panic and fear among our people," he said.

The proposed AI strategy will focus on transparency, accountability, and safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence technologies.

Shongol said the media industry will play a critical role in helping verify information and combat the spread of false content in the digital era.

He also highlighted the need for greater AI literacy among journalists and citizens to help identify AI-generated material and apply effective verification techniques.