Journalism and AI: controversies, risks, and expectations

Date

May 19 2026

Time

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Labels

Main Event Hall B

Location

Emilios Riadis Hall, Thessaloniki International Fair

Egnatias 154, TIF, Thessaloniki 546 36

Journalism is always among the first professional fields in which major technological changes are tested, triggering large-scale and substantial transformations. Changing the tools is always the least significant part; the real challenge lies in adapting reliable and ethical journalism to new formats. Artificial intelligence has been present in journalism for many years. However, the democratization of its tools and its dominant expansion are causing yet another transition in the way journalists fulfill their mission.

Four media professionals from different backgrounds, whose work intersects with AI both theoretically and in practice, discuss the risks and controversial perceptions surrounding the dominance of this new working model. Their aim is to explore and highlight the paths that will allow journalism to approach new areas of innovation with genuine value and impact.

Who the
Speakers are:

Speakers

Vasilis Vasilopoulos Postdoctoral researcher at Ionian University, specializing in AI governance in the media and public chatbots

Vasilis Vasilopoulos

Postdoctoral researcher at Ionian University, specializing in AI governance in the media and public chatbots

Vasilis Vasilopoulos is a postdoctoral researcher at Ionian University, specializing in AI governance in the media and public chatbots. He holds a PhD from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and serves as Data Protection Officer for ERT and Athens-Macedonian News Agency. He is a journalist and a member of the Task Force of the General Secretariat for Communication and Media on issues related to the safety and protection of media professionals.
Alexandra Gouta Journalist

Alexandra Gouta

Journalist

Alexandra Gouta is a journalist specializing in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the economy, innovation, and society, and she has been writing about AI since 2016. Her mission is to translate complex, cutting-edge topics into accessible and compelling narratives that drive understanding and informed conversation. She authored hundreds of articles on AI and its impact, interviewing top experts across Greece, Europe, North America, and Asia for ANA-MPA, the public service news agency of Greece. Her scope extends beyond AI into the broader economic engine of the future, covering: entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem, innovation and R&D policy and the societal implications of science and technology. She is the host of the “Homo sAIence” vidcast, where she engages in candid conversations about AI and AI ethics. She publishes a Substack newsletter that explores key AI issues, offering perspectives in both Greek and English.
Ioannis Pagos Sports journalist

Ioannis Pagos

Sports journalist

Ioannis Pagos is a sports journalist currently working for NOVA and Metropolis 95.5. Born in Thessaloniki, he began his career in sports journalism in the early 1990s at the Municipal Radio of Kalamaria and the Municipality of Kalamaria’s television station, “ARGO TV.”
As a television journalist, reporter, and commentator covering football and basketball, he has also worked for SKAI and Alpha TV before joining NOVA. He was part of the editorial team of the newspaper Sportime from its very first day of publication and also worked for the newspaper Exedra.
In radio broadcasting, he has collaborated with stations including Libero FM and REAL FM, before joining the Metromedia group, where he continues to work today
Smaro Pavlou Journalist and Lawyer

Smaro Pavlou

Journalist and Lawyer

Smaro Pavlou is a journalist and lawyer with extensive experience in media and news reporting. She holds a Law degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and has studied Sports Journalism at IEK AKMI, while also specializing in social media. She completed postgraduate studies in Contemporary Journalism Studies, with a thesis focusing on artificial intelligence and journalism (Hellenic Open University). Since 2012, she has been professionally active in journalism, having worked for media outlets such as Goal News newspaper, Arena FM radio station, and various news websites as a sports journalist and editor. She currently works for the website ERTNews. She has specialized in the applications of artificial intelligence in journalism through the “Artificial Intelligence for Journalists – JourAI” program of the Lifelong Learning Center of Ionian University.
Yannis Kotsifos Director general of the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) and its Cultural Foundation

Yannis Kotsifos

Director general of the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) and its Cultural Foundation

Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1969, he has studied Greek Literature (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and has an MA degree in Digital Media, Communication and Journalism, Pathway: European Journalism (Media and Communication Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He lives and works in the city and is the director general of the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace (ESIEMTH) and its Cultural Foundation. Having worked as a journalist in both newspapers and radio, he has also edited numerous books and collaborated with various magazines, either as a contributing editor or as an editor-at-large, or as both. From 2013 to 2022 he has been a member of the Steering Committee of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ). From 2020 until 2023 he chaired the Executive Board of the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF). He has contributed to numerous projects regarding journalists’ training, media literacy, diversity reporting and ethics.