AI experts and media professionals have urged journalists to use Artificial Intelligence responsibly, stressing that ethical practices, fact-checking and human oversight remain essential to maintaining credibility in journalism.
Experts in the technology and media sectors have called on journalists and media professionals to embrace the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), saying the technology should strengthen journalism rather than undermine its core values.
The experts made the call during a one-day virtual training organised by the Step Up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ) on Tuesday.
The training, themed “Ethical and Responsible Use of AI in Journalism: Opportunities and Best Practices,” focused on helping journalists understand how to integrate AI into newsroom operations while maintaining professional standards.
Leading the session, Mr Silas Jonathan, Digital Research and Investigations Manager at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), described AI as the application of advanced computing systems and algorithms to improve news production processes.
He emphasised that AI should be regarded as a tool that enhances journalism rather than replacing journalists.
Jonathan urged media practitioners to verify and fact-check all AI-generated content before publication, stressing that human oversight remains indispensable in ensuring accuracy, credibility and public trust.
While acknowledging concerns such as overreliance on AI and plausible deniability, he said the technology also offers significant benefits, including improved efficiency, enhanced research capabilities and wider audience engagement.
According to Jonathan, who is also a media researcher, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and fact-checking expert with DUBAWA, the greatest challenge lies not in AI itself but in how people choose to use it.
He identified tools such as Google Trends, OSINT platforms and Webmii as valuable resources that have transformed news monitoring, research and content production.
“AI will not take the jobs of journalists. Journalists who use AI effectively will take the jobs of those who do not,” he said.
Jonathan maintained that accuracy, accountability and critical thinking must continue to form the foundation of quality journalism.
Speaking on “How to Leverage AI for Career Growth in Journalism,” Mrs Justina Asishana of The Nation newspaper described AI as an equaliser that enables journalists to overcome resource limitations and compete globally.
She said journalists who will thrive in the future are those who understand how to ask the right questions and apply appropriate AI tools to produce faster and more effective results.
However, Asishana advised journalists against relying on AI to prepare fellowship applications, grant proposals, motivation letters or media pitches, describing AI as “a co-pilot, not the pilot.”
She encouraged media professionals to combine AI-generated structures with originality, authentic voices, local context and lived experiences, noting that experienced editors can easily identify generic AI-generated submissions.
According to her, essential journalism qualities such as curiosity, ethical judgment, sound reporting and effective writing cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence.
Earlier, the Team Lead of SWIJ, Mrs Ann Godwin, said the training was organised to equip journalists and communication professionals with practical knowledge on the ethical use of AI and the opportunities it presents.
Godwin noted that although AI has made work faster and more efficient, media professionals must ensure that speed does not come at the expense of accuracy, credibility and accountability.
She warned against excessive dependence on AI, describing it as a tool designed to complement human creativity rather than replace it.
She also encouraged journalists, public relations practitioners, writers and other communication professionals to explore the economic opportunities created by AI without compromising professional ethics.
Godwin reaffirmed SWIJ’s commitment to strengthening journalists’ capacity through continuous training and strategic partnerships.
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