By Victor Itodo Abuh
THE EXECUTIVE Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Safer-Media Initiative (SMI), Mr Peter Iorter, has described the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism as an urgent necessity, citing a significant knowledge and skill gap within the media industry in Nigeria.
Speaking during a specialist training workshop in Abuja on Thursday, Mr Iorter noted that the overwhelming response from media professionals underscored the pressing need for such capacity-building initiatives.
He revealed that over 500 journalists had applied for the programme within a short period, reflecting a strong desire among practitioners to adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
“There is a knowledge gap and skill gap, hence the need and purpose of this training is targeted to close the gap. That is why this training is not just important – it is urgent,” Mr Iorter said.
He further stressed that journalists must leverage AI to work “smarter, faster and deeper” while upholding ethics, accuracy and public trust.
He noted that SMI seeks to promote responsible innovation, ensuring that AI strengthens rather than undermines journalistic integrity.
The one-day training workshop held at the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Conference Room 128, along Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, brought together media professionals from different outlets aimed at equipping journalists with the skills to effectively and responsibly deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their work.
The sessions focused on enhancing both technical proficiency and ethical considerations in the adoption of AI within newsrooms.
The first session, facilitated by Titilope Fadare Oparinde, founder of Generative AI Journalism, demonstrated practical applications of AI tools in journalism, including transcription, audio enhancement, and content summarisation.
She introduced participants to tools such as News Assist AI, Turboscribe, Datawrapper, MyAIFactChecker and ChatGPT, while emphasising that AI should be seen as a support tool rather than a replacement for human intelligence.
Ms Oparinde cautioned against over-reliance on automation, noting that speed must never come at the expense of verification.
“AI is a tool, not a brain. The future belongs to journalists who are willing to learn, adapt, and still verify their work,” she said, as she also guided participants on effective prompting techniques to maximise AI tools in news production.
The second session, led by Oluseyi Olufemi, Country Director for Dataphyte, focused on the use of Nubia AI and emphasised the importance of research in journalism.
Olufemi, who reiterated that a true journalist must first be a researcher, also introduced participants to the Dubawa-informed three-gate editorial model, which includes the Source Gate, Claim Gate, and Context Gate as critical steps in verifying information before publication.
The workshop forms part of the Artificial Intelligence and Media (AIM) Project, supported by the UNESCO International Programme for the Development of Communication.
Held under the theme; “AI Tools for Journalists: Effective, Responsible and Safe Use,” the training highlighted the growing intersection between technology and journalism, while reinforcing the need for ethical standards in an evolving digital landscape.
