AI in media: Workshop held at St. Francis College for Women, Begumpet

Hyderabad: The Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at St. Francis College for Women, Begumpet, conducted a workshop on “AI Tools and Techniques for Media Students,” led by Sudhakar Reddy Udumula, Investigative Journalist and Editor at The Times of India, Hyderabad.

The workshop introduced students to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and its applications in media. It began with an overview of how AI and machine learning systems operate, followed by demonstrations of how tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, DALL·E, and ElevenLabs are being used in the industry.

A key focus was prompt engineering. Sudhakar Reddy Udumula guided students through hands-on sessions using platforms such as Imageprompt.org, Teachable Machine, Perplexity, Notebook LM, and ChatGPT. He explained how to structure prompts, assign roles, and avoid common errors.

The session also examined how AI is being used in newsrooms, for research, data analysis, fact-checking, automation, archiving, personalized content delivery, and trend detection. Sudhakar Reddy Udumula highlighted integrating AI into journalistic workflows while maintaining ethical standards and verifying information through multiple sources.

A SWOT analysis highlighted AI’s potential in improving efficiency and content targeting, while also addressing concerns such as misinformation and over-reliance on automated systems. Sudhakar Reddy Udumula cautioned against the risks of deepfakes and stressed the importance of tools like HIVE Moderation and SynthID to verify content.

He noted that AI skills are becoming essential in most media roles, and those unwilling to adapt may fall behind. Throughout the workshop, participants were urged to critically evaluate AI outputs and uphold accuracy and accountability in their work. Students left with a practical understanding of prompt design, AI integration, and responsible use, skills increasingly relevant in today's media landscape.