Research shows 38% of South African journalists use artificial intelligence tools
The 20th African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) reported on Wednesday that journalists are using artificial intelligence (AI) without fully understanding the implications of the tool.
The conference, hosted by the School of Journalism at the University of the Witwatersrand, brought together investigative journalists from around 43 countries to discuss the security threats facing the industry as a result of the proliferation of technologies that undermine public trust in AI. . media.
Zoe Titus, director of the Namibia Media Trust, said at the forum: “Journalists and newsrooms are introducing AI without fully understanding the complex issues. Who should introduce AI to newsrooms? “You need to consider who you are and where you place journalists in the ecosystem,” he said at the forum.
Deji Adekunle, director of Nigeria’s Media Innovation Program, said people are further losing trust in the media because of AI, “so there needs to be a regulatory framework for the use of AI for journalists.” Ta.
Adekunle said journalists need to be transparent about the use of AI in their reporting.
“I have to say that we are using AI in this story,” he said.
According to research by research firm In On Africa, 59% of working South Africans know about ChatGPT, but only 38% have used the AI tool.
Titus said that with the rapid growth of AI, “media is facing an existential threat due to market failure” and that algorithms could affect “journalists' intellectual property.”
Essentially, AI algorithms are an expanded subset of machine learning that instruct computers how to learn their own behavior. The information journalists provide to AI tools like ChatGPT collects data and generates information for other ChatGPT users.
While some have criticized the use of AI in newsrooms, a panel discussion on harnessing the “investigative power of AI” highlighted the need to use technology to revolutionize newsrooms.
“If you can moderate effectively, it has the potential to be a huge help to newsrooms,” said Amanda Strydom, a fellow at Code for Africa.
