AI a Tool, Not Threat, Say Experts at AWiM 2024

At the 2024 African Women in Media (AWiM) Conference in Dakar, Senegal, technology experts discussed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism, asserting that it serves as a tool rather than a threat to the profession. They emphasised that AI functions based on the data it receives and the tasks it is assigned.

The conference convened industry experts, academics, civil society organisations, and policy actors to explore innovative strategies for achieving media sustainability in Africa. The event featured panels, fireside chats, fishbowl sessions, workshops, and exhibitions.

The AWiM24 Conference represents a significant opportunity to address critical industry developments, challenges, and opportunities, with a focus on the impact and voices of women in media. By prioritising audience engagement, supporting women-led and women-owned businesses, and balancing economic realities, the conference aims to promote economic resilience for media businesses in Africa.

Ms. Fola Folayan, Marketing, and Partnerships Manager at the Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), highlighted AI’s utility in transcribing interviews and performing editorial tasks, thereby enhancing efficiency in newsrooms.

She noted, “Personally, I see AI as a tool. It is a tool that you use. You know when they say garbage in, garbage out? It is what you put in the tool that it will generate for you.”

Folayan added that AI could assist with copy editing, punctuation, and sentence structure, allowing journalists to meet tight deadlines more effectively.

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However, she acknowledged limitations in AI’s ability to transcribe local languages such as Hausa or Yoruba, indicating that while AI facilitates tasks like transcribing English interviews, challenges remain for other languages.

Dr Rose Kimani addressed the issue of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), stating that such violence disproportionately affects women and girls. She pointed out that certain features of social media platforms can unintentionally foster TFGBV. For instance, platform X (formerly Twitter) has issues related to anonymity, amplification, and escalation; Facebook’s tagging feature can lead to privacy violations and impersonation; and WhatsApp can be a medium for intimate partner violence and group harassment.

Dr Kimani urged women and girls to build professional networks, develop personal coping strategies, and adopt diplomatic technology-based responses to mitigate TFGBV.

The two-day conference, themed “Media and Sustainability,” provided a platform for experts to discuss the intersection of technology and media, focusing on both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI and digital platforms.