In February 2025, a group of more than 30 journalists, fact-checkers and media professionals from Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestinian territories and Libya came together in the "AI for media - MENA Meetup" in Tunis.

They discussed what the integration of AI means for media - and how they can respond to its challenges, including those that Arabic and its various local dialects pose to AI tools. They highlighted what's needed to adapt existing tools to the Arabic context, and the dire need for more knowledge sharing, code sharing, and technology transfer - and to be driven by experts from the region. In hands-on sessions, participants also presented the AI tools they already work with. 

One big takeaway: Media in the region need more collaboration and exchange to stay on top of their game, become actors in developing Arabic training data and AI tools, and manage changing business models and realities.