Media and AI, Viola (DG Connect): “Rules are not enough, we need public and private investment”

Brussels – An ecosystem that, since the advent of the internet, has been surviving momentous changes with no few difficulties: The media sector is now facing a new revolution, that of artificial intelligence, which certainly offers many opportunities, but also risks disrupting it. At the European level, a regulatory framework exists to avoid being overwhelmed by it, and its foundations are the Media Freedom Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act. Roberto Viola, Director General of DG Connect at the European Commission, warns: “Rules are not enough: public and private must team up because investments are needed.” 

Viola spoke today (2 October) at the Connact Media event , organised by the Connact platform in cooperation with the European Parliament, focusing on the EU’s New Frontiers of Information and Cultural Industries. Before him, the Italian Undersecretary with responsibility for Publishing, Alberto Barachini, had urged the audience with a clear message: “Better to finance good information than censor the bad one.” Translated, rather than tight rules to frame the big platforms that manage the distribution of online content, money is needed to promote European media and ensure that they can play on a level playing field.

A “double track that no one questions,” began Viola. It is necessary, on the one hand, “to defend freedom of information,” and on the other, “the professionalism of information.” Because only the defence of information by professionals “is the defence of democracy.” On the regulatory side, the Media Freedom Act—a “norm of civilisation” that came into force in May 2024—requires member states to respect editorial freedom and service providers to ensure transparency of ownership, and it introduces mechanisms aimed at preventing platforms the size of Facebook, X or Instagram from arbitrarily restricting or removing independent media content.