Lebanese media group Annahar launches AI-powered journalist ‘Nahar’

Lebanon’s Annahar Media Group this week launched Nahar, its first artificial intelligence-powered “news correspondent.” (www.annahar.com)

• Launch is latest milestone in group’s strategy to modernize newsrooms by integrating tech into daily operations
• Innovation ‘opens new horizons for creativity and productivity,’ says Annahar Editor-in Chief Nayla Tueni

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Annahar Media Group this week launched Nahar, its first artificial intelligence-powered “news correspondent.”
In its announcement, the media outlet said the step opens a new chapter in the relationship between journalists and technology.
Nayla Tueni, Annahar’s editor-in-chief, said innovation is part of the group’s mission and “has always been an integral part of the organization’s identity.”
She added: “With the launch of Nahar, we affirm that AI is not a replacement for journalists, but rather a partner that enhances their capabilities and opens new horizons for creativity and productivity.
“The future of journalism belongs to those who succeed in combining technology and human talent, and we have chosen to be at the forefront of this transformation.”
According to the media group, Nahar reads thousands of sources in seconds, monitors global developments, compares information, translates content, summarizes reports and documents, and travels between capitals to collect data and stories that make a difference.
The launch of Nahar marks a milestone in the group’s strategy to modernize its newsrooms by integrating the latest AI technologies into daily operations, while preserving the core principles of journalism: verification, accuracy, and editorial responsibility, with the final decision always resting with the human editor.
Recalling her late father Gibran Tueni’s vision, she said he believed that integrating technology into journalism was a “priority and worked to train journalists and modernize their tools.”
Bilal Kassasir, CEO of Points Information Technology, which worked in partnership with Annahar on the project, said Nahar is more than just a smart assistant.
The innovation “reflects how artificial intelligence can work alongside journalists, giving them the time and tools to focus on what makes a difference: verification, analysis, and storytelling,” he said.