Learning Through Dialogue: Perspectives on Media, AI and Trust
Learning Through Dialogue: Perspectives on Media, AI and Trust
By Brennan McLennan, Socrates Seminar Youth Scholarship Recipient 2025
What is the role of the "news media" in the digital economy of attention? Does the age of information fuelled by the emergence of advanced generative AI models make epistemic bankruptcy inevitable, or rather, promise the next great leap for humankind? What are the implications for the democratic process amidst this uncertainty?
These were some of the questions dissected across the three-day Will We Ever Trust The News Again seminar I had the honour of attending.
Set against the picturesque Wakatipu Basin, flanked by mountains, the discussion brought leading and experienced voices together from around the world to engage in Socratic dialogue. Drawing on perspectives from both private and public sectors, our international cohort interrogated the increasingly polarised and convoluted information space with great fervour. Expertly guided by the news media veteran and Executive Director of Aspen Digital, Vivian Schiller, our conversation danced across the topography of this complex domain. Each day, shifting focus to a new aspect. On the first day, the state of the media was explored and contrasted with both how it has been and how it ought to be. The second day addressed the roles, or lack thereof, of objectivity and truth within this environment and its implications. Last, but certainly not least, the third day analysed the future of media and information in an artificially intelligent world.
As a student operating submerged in the world of academia, the opportunity to attend events such as this is invaluable. Exposure to a greater variety of perspectives fosters a more complete positionality from which to consider the multifaceted issues facing the world. The intellectual development, a product of such exposure, occurs not only around the given topic but also through proximity to the adjacent experiences and knowledge of the attendees. The breakup of the organised roundtable discussion with less formal social environments, such as hiking, dinners, and breaks, facilitated off-topic discussions. These discussions allowed me to delve into a wide array of expertise and background, offering great insight and hopefully imparting some wisdom.
Particularly interesting was hearing how AI is being used across the various sectors. Familiar with the many ways students utilise AI, from meal and workout planning to proofreading and source finding, it was fascinating to hear how it has proliferated other industries. Although I was aware that this had occurred, hearing the specifics of its implementation made the scale of AI adoption really sink in.
I think this highlights the value for students of attending events such as these. We operate in a world of essays and ideas, often spending great time engaging intellectually with them, without much direct connection to the realities of the people and environments within which they operate. The immersion in meaningful conversation with experienced minds from an array of sectors helps bridge this gap, broadening one's intellectual horizons and depth of understanding.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we do not have all the answers. That being said, the insights and connections formed were, and will continue to be, invaluable. I look forward to building on these and would like to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to attend.
Brennan McLean is entering his third year at the University of Otago, studying for a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE). His interests centre on international relations, geopolitics and political economy. He is particularly drawn to the current period of transition in both domestic and global politics, alongside the rapid emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence - a moment he sees as challenging, unsettling and full of possibility. Looking ahead, Brennan hopes to play a role in navigating these turbulent times and contributing to meaningful, positive change in the world. Brennan was one of three youth scholarship recipients for the 2025 Socrates Seminar.
