inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, stated that the emergence of the "zero click" phenomenon poses a challenge to the press world. He made this statement at the 2026 Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Retreat in Bogor on Friday (1/30/2026).
As reported on the RRI website, he stated that artificial intelligence (AI) technology has transformed journalism. This development poses serious challenges for the journalism profession in the era of digital transformation.
The shift from traditional to digital media is also influenced by the development of AI technology. Furthermore, another wave of distribution has emerged due to the dominance of digital platforms and algorithm-based technology.
He also stated that this has given rise to the "zero click" phenomenon in journalistic work.
"We are facing the zero-click phenomenon, where the public simply reads news summaries from AI without visiting the original source.
Zero Click (search without clicking) is a phenomenon where readers get information directly from the Google search engine.
He said this phenomenon is caused by the rapid advancement of AI technology itself. This technology is so advanced that it can provide news to the public without having to access it through official platforms.
According to Nezar, this has a direct impact on media traffic and the sustainability of the press industry. In this way, news distribution is no longer entirely under the control of mass media editorial staff.
"Access to the flow of news is currently being controlled by platforms that work with AI," he explained. This is also supported by research data conducted by the Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford.
Vice Minister Nezar stated that the research data shows a decline in media practitioners' optimism regarding the future of journalism. In fact, the research indicated that digital media traffic has decreased by more than 40 percent.
This is due to the increasing consumption of information from AI platforms and services. Information services are no longer accessible through official media portals.
(adfa/hn/rs)
