As noted by Vlastimil Samek, Head of the UN Information Bureau in Kazakhstan – Representative of the UN Department of Global Communications in Kazakhstan, the seminar was timed to coincide with Human Rights Day, which is annually celebrated worldwide on December 10th. This day marks the adoption of one of the world's most significant global commitments — the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The academic gathering was officially opened by Yertai Sultan, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of the university, who delivered a keynote speech on «Digital Literacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence». 

«Today we are witnessing the publication of a scientifically significant achievement. This is a major project in the field of artificial intelligence and digital literacy, funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The research work began within the walls of Al-Farabi KazNU and is now being concluded at Abai KazNPU, the cradle of Kazakh education and science. This is a common achievement of the two universities. The theoretical study was carried out at one institution, and the experiments and the "RasInfo" resource were prepared at the second university. I believe that bilateral joint scientific research of this kind will continue, and new projects will be implemented in the future,» said Vice-Rector Yertai Sultan.

The event was attended by scholars from foreign universities, as well as researchers from Al-Farabi KazNU, Abylai Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, and Turan University.

Vlastimil Samek, Head of the UN Information Bureau in Kazakhstan, spoke about the practice of using artificial intelligence technologies to strengthen digital literacy and combat disinformation in Central Asia.

Madzher Masanov, National Programme Officer for Communication and Information at the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office, in his report on «UNESCO Materials on Media and Information Literacy for Journalists», stated that UNESCO supports the development of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) and digital competencies for all. The goal is to enable people to relate critically to information, navigate the online environment safely and responsibly, and ensure confidence in our information ecosystem and digital technologies.

Julia Haas, Master of Laws, Advisor on Freedom of the Media Issues at the OSCE, and Manager of the project «Healthy Online Information Space and Artificial Intelligence», is the author of the recent OSCE guideline «Protecting Media Freedom in the Age of Large Technological Platforms and Artificial Intelligence». In her report, she emphasized the issue of the systemic risk to pluralism and democracy posed by Big Tech platforms.

Thomas Hanitzsch, Professor of Communication, Head of the Media and Communication Department at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and Lead Researcher of the project, presented the results of the study «Journalistic Cultures in Central Asia» covering Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Based on the Worlds of Journalism Study (WJS3, 2021–2025), he noted that media visibility, viability, and vigilance (safety) are inherently interconnected. States must respect, protect, and fulfill media freedom, as well as support it through proactive policy measures. These data reflect the peculiarities of the journalistic landscape in Central Asia compared to global trends, particularly the urgency of safety issues.

Margulan Ibraimov, Member of the Board – Vice-Rector for Scientific and Innovative Activities at Al-Farabi KazNU, discussed in detail interdisciplinary research and AI technologies as the foundation of KazNU's innovative ecosystem.

Gulmira Sultanbayeva, Professor of the Department of Humanitarian Sciences at the Faculty of History and Law of Abai KazNPU, presented the mobile resource «RasInfo» as a creative tool for fact-checking and media literacy. She added: «AI-Derek is a tool for combating fakes based on fact-checking and describing the experience of using such technologies. AI-Derek is integrated with the RasInfo mobile resource and answers user questions in the field of fact-checking,» said the project lead.

Professor Klara Kabylgazina summarized the experience and prospects of the author's methodology for teaching fact-checking at the Journalism Faculty of KazNU. Ainura Kabatay kyzy, Head of the Department of «Advertising and Public Relations» at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Ala-Too International University, delivered an engaging and useful presentation on «Prosodic Markers of Fake Content: Opportunities for Audio Analysis to Identify Manipulative and False Messages».

The seminar also featured the presentation of books «Digital Literacy Indicators: A System for Developing Information Culture in Kazakhstan» and «Indicators of False Information and Disinformation in Kazakhstan». The academic works analyze the systematic and hybrid nature of information in Kazakhstan; they include training modules, as well as many examples, 79 real-life cases, diagrams, graphs, and charts describing and analyzing theoretical provisions. An extensive glossary on the topic «Digital Literacy», containing over 400 terms, was presented.

These collective monographs and methodological guidelines, published in Kazakh, Russian, and English, are scientific public-domain publications intended for researchers and those seeking to enhance media and information literacy on the topic of disinformation.

The Central Asian Journalism Seminar reinforced the importance of international cooperation and academic research for preserving information integrity in the age of Artificial Intelligence. According to the experts' conclusion, for AI to work for the benefit of humanity and for the health of the online space to be maintained, states are obliged to protect and support media freedom through proactive political measures. The seminar proved the importance of raising media literacy, teaching fact-checking, and the ethical use of new technologies.