BLESSING TAIWO
As more newsrooms embrace the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its ethical usage is a concern.
In order to equip journalists thoroughly for the AI sphere, a media development organization, Safer-Media Initiative (SMI) organised a training under its Artificial Intelligence and Media (AIM) Project.
The project is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO’s) International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).
The training, themed ‘AI tools for journalists: Effective, responsible and safe use’ is scheduled for three locations — Lagos, Benin and Abuja with a webinar and a follow-up virtual session to ensure proper application of skills.
Speaking during the one-day workshop held in Ikeja, Lagos for about 30 journalists, Peter Iorter, the Executive Director of SMI stated that there is a knowledge gap that needed to be fixed for the media to thrive with AI.
Iorter noted that the training was put together to help journalists gain knowledge on the use of AI tools to enable them work more effectively and safely.
“We recently conducted a survey and found out that over 95% of journalists use Artificial intelligence tools. We also found out that there is a knowledge gap because only 10% of the survey population said that they have ever undergone a training on AI usage from their media organizations.
“We see that there is that need to close the knowledge and skill gap that we have discovered,” he said.
Titilope Fadare-Oparinde, the trainer and Founder, Generative AI Journalism with Titi highlighted various AI tools and its application in the newsroom.
Fadare-Oparinde pointed out that AI should not replace a journalist’s in-depth research and creativity but be used as an assisting tool.
“AI cannot verify facts, it can’t invent sources. It cannot make ethical decisions so never ask AI to write your story from the beginning to the end,” she implored.
The media expert further explained how to input comprehensive prompts while using AI tools for better outcome.
Udeh Onyebuchi, a participant at the workshop expressed satisfaction on the session, saying that it has exposed him to different AI tools to aid his overall journalistic activities.
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