Kwara NUJ Workshop: IT Expert Tasks Journalists To Leverage On AI In Reportage

Kwara NUJ Workshop: IT Expert Tasks Journalists To Leverage On AI In Reportage

Ilorin-based Information Technology Expert, Mr Kehinde Kamaldeen, has tasked Nigerian journalists to leverage on Artificial intelligence AI in their reportage.

Kamaldeen made the call while delivering a lecture at a one-day capacity building workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for journalists in Kwara State themed “Artificial Intelligence: Is Journalism on Trial?”

The workshop was at the instance of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in partnership with ESANAD, an information technology firm held at NUJ Press Centre, Ilorin on Wednesday.

Kamaldeen, who is the Co-founder of MALhub, a technology hub, posited that journalists could deploy AI for generating news stories, editing, correct spellings and writing of articles to guarantee error free content.

He took participants through divergent AI applications suitable for journalists and encouraged them to be technologically compliant to meet up with global trend of journalism.

Kamaldeen cautioned the media practitioners against over reliance on AI for their journalistic duties and re-echoed that Artificial intelligence would never replace human Intelligence.

In his address of welcome, Chairman, Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed, said the workshop became imperative as contemporary journalists face defining moment in the profession.

Ahmed identified AI as a powerful tool to fast-track tasks and expressed worry that some journalists rely heavily on it in their activities.

In their goodwill messages, Station Manager Unilorin FM, Alhaji Idrees Aloma; Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Hajia Bola Bello and Acting Editor, Herald Newspapers, Mr Kayode Olesehinde, X-rayed the importance of AI in accomplishing task and urged journalists to key into the system.

The workshop held against the backdrop of rapid technological changes currently reshaping the media industry.

It was designed to examine the growing influence of AI on news gathering, content creation, media ethics, and the future of the journalism profession, drawing participants from all Chapels of the Union across the state.