Xanana Gusmão defends regulation for AI

The Timorese Prime Minister defended this Saturday the regulation of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country to protect democracy and freedom.

“It is essential that we regulate the way we use and develop AI in our country, so that we can protect the democracy and freedom for which we have fought so hard”, said Xanana Gusmão, at the 2025 Dialogue Forum, organized by the Press Council and dedicated to the theme “Artificial Intelligence, Media and Digital Democracy”.

“The use of AI is a reality that will transform our societies, but it is up to us to guide and control this change. We must do everything to protect freedom of expression and the open society we have built,” he stressed.

For the Timorese Prime Minister, it is necessary to ensure that technology serves the “public interest and human dignity”. “AI must serve journalism and not replace it. We cannot rely excessively on AI to tell our stories, nor allow it to become a tool for political manipulation”, he said.

Xanana Gusmão also argued that it is necessary to improve digital literacy in Timor-Leste.

In his speech, the Timorese Prime Minister also said that the State attributes “enormous value to freedom of the press”, arguing that “strong and independent media outlets are needed to promote dialogue, denounce corruption, support an open political culture and give a voice to the most vulnerable”.

“We must never again silence the voices of the Timorese,” he added.

According to the latest report on the world press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders, in 2025 Timor-Leste occupied 39th position out of 180 countries, falling 19 positions compared to 2024, when it was in 20th place.