Mumbai: Human creativity and original thinking will remain the true differentiators in an AI world. AI will transform news from information dissemination to intelligence-led storytelling, making content more personalised and multilingual, while human editorial judgment remains critical. AI is meaningful only when it delivers results and efficiency for clients.
These were some of the points made on the second day of Goafest 2026 at a panel titled ‘AI Washing: The Truth About AI’, presented by Mediakart, in association with The Times of India and Vijas Digital. The session explored the growing discourse around artificial intelligence, questioning the gap between merely adopting AI tools and truly becoming AI-first organisations.
The session featured Gulrez Alam, Chief Revenue Officer, Affle; Niraj Ruparel, Creative Technology Lead, WPP & WPP Media; and Smriti Mehra, CEO, English and business news, Network18. The discussion was moderated by Shubhranshu Singh, Member of the Board of Directors, Effie LIONS Foundation & Forbes Most Influential Global CMO 2025.
Highlighting the importance of outcome-driven AI adoption and the evolving role of data and automation in business transformation, Gulrez Alam, Chief Revenue Officer, Affle, said, “AI is meaningful only when it delivers results and efficiency for clients; creativity and planning mean little without outcomes. Built on the principle of “garbage in, garbage out,” AI depends on quality data that must evolve from a rearview mirror into a GPS. Moving beyond screens through wearables and AI-powered glasses, AI will increasingly understand emotions, gestures, and intent while enabling instant outputs in a “zero to fast” world. As automation accelerates and bots dominate online traffic, advertisers will need to identify real human audiences while also engaging with AI bots working on behalf of humans.”
Emphasising AI’s role in accelerating innovation while underscoring the enduring importance of human creativity and collaboration, Niraj Ruparel, Creative Technology Lead, WPP & WPP Media, said, “AI is unlocking massive opportunities for rapid prototyping and innovation, enabling creative and tech teams to build solutions faster and democratise access to creativity at scale, including for underserved audiences. Combined with faster internet, AI will accelerate immersive, personalised 3D and spatial experiences and help brands reach underserved and rural audiences. However, technology alone is not enough – human creativity and original thinking will remain the true differentiators. As AI-generated experiences, synthetic media, and emotion-aware systems evolve, successful adoption will depend on collaboration between creative teams, technologists, strategists, clients, and consumers, with India’s AI future driven by scalable platforms powered by creativity and collaboration.”
Highlighting AI’s growing influence on media transformation while reinforcing the importance of editorial credibility and responsible adoption, Smriti Mehra, CEO, English and business news, Network18, said, “AI will transform news from information dissemination to intelligence-led storytelling, making content more personalised and multilingual, while human editorial judgment remains critical. Most companies today are still in the experimental or partially deployed stage of AI adoption, even as businesses increasingly use AI to improve outputs, increase speed, reduce costs, and drive revenue.
“The media will continue questioning and verifying corporate AI claims and ‘AI washing,’ while brands face the growing challenge of engaging the remaining genuine human audience online. As digital ecosystems evolve, premium experiences may increasingly move behind paywalls, and brand messaging and consumer engagement models will continue to transform.”
