Jakarta, INTI - Prof. Ali Saukah stated that the concept of literacy needs to evolve beyond basic reading and writing skills into multimodal literacy, enabling people to understand, process, and evaluate information presented in various formats in the era of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
This shift has occurred as society no longer relies solely on books as primary sources of information but increasingly uses videos, infographics, charts, animations, social media, and AI-powered applications to gain knowledge.
The Growing Need for Critical Information Evaluation Skills
Prof. Ali Saukah explained that the main challenge today is no longer a lack of information, but rather the ability to assess the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of information, including content generated by AI systems.
He emphasized that traditional literacy remains a fundamental element of education, but it is no longer sufficient to address the changing ways people access, process, and communicate information.
According to him, multimodal literacy refers to the ability to understand various forms of communication, including text, images, graphics, videos, animations, and other visual formats that are increasingly present in everyday life.
Prof. Ali Saukah noted that digital platforms have transformed the way people consume information, as news articles, presentations, and social media conversations now commonly combine written content with photos, videos, graphics, links, and emojis.
As a result, reading skills are no longer limited to understanding written text but also include the ability to interpret messages conveyed through diverse visual and digital media formats.
The perspective highlights the importance of strengthening multimodal literacy so that society can adapt to rapid developments in information technology and use AI in a more critical and responsible manner.
Conclusion
Prof. Ali Saukah's view highlights that literacy in the digital era must expand beyond reading and writing into the ability to interpret and evaluate diverse forms of information. Strengthening multimodal literacy will be essential to help society navigate the rapid growth of digital platforms and AI technologies with greater awareness and critical thinking.
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