COM Emerging Tech for Communication Innovation Series: AFP Fact Check initiatives and multimedia verification in the age of AI

30 Oct 2025 (Thu)

On October 23, 2025, Ms. Sophia Xu, the digital training manager for Asia-Pacific at Agence France-Presse (AFP), delivered a professional lecture entitled, “AFP Fact Check Initiatives and Multimedia Verification in the Age of AI.” Ms. Xu joined AFP in 2020 as a regional digital verification editor and has trained thousands of journalists and students at media conferences, press clubs, and universities across Asia.

Ms. Xu highlighted the rising threat of AI-generated misinformation and introduced multi-pronged strategies for verification practice. Typical approaches include looking for labels and watermarks, scrutinizing visual and audio details for inconsistencies, using reverse image search tools to trace an item's origin, and exercising caution when using detection tools, treating them as a reference rather than a rule. Ms. Xu also introduced AFP's technological initiative, which combines C2PA certification with an encrypted watermark to protect the authenticity of news photographs. The lecture concluded with a reminder of the serious real-world consequences of false information and directed attendees at AFP’s free digital verification training platform, which offers a practical toolkit and certificates upon completion. 



Nearly 50 attendees participated in this lecture, including faculty members, doctoral students, and scholars. Ms. Xu responded to audience questions and shared insights about her career and practical experience, creating an engaging and thought-provoking atmosphere throughout the event.