SMI Trains Edo Journalists On AI In Edo

The Safer Media Initiative (SMI) has trained 35 journalists in Edo State on the effective, responsible and safe use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as part of efforts to bridge emerging knowledge gaps in modern journalism practice.
The training, held under the Artificial Intelligence and Media Project themed, “AI Tools for Journalists: Effective, Responsible and Safe Use,” drew participants from the print, electronic and online media sectors.
Commenting, the Executive Director of SMI, Peter Iorter, said the initiative was designed to equip journalists with the skills needed to navigate rapid technological changes reshaping the media landscape.
Iorter said journalism practice is undergoing significant transformation driven largely by technological innovation, affecting how news is gathered, processed and disseminated, as well as audience preferences and content formats.
He asserted, “There is something that has changed about journalism. While some aspects remain the same, many changes are driven by technology. Even the traditional media has no option but to adapt, otherwise it risks being left out of the media business.”
Iorter stated that Artificial Intelligence is at the centre of this disruption, stressing that journalists who fail to keep pace with such innovations risk becoming irrelevant in the evolving industry.
He however dismissed the fears that AI would replace journalists, insisting instead that professionals who refuse to embrace the technology are more likely to lose their relevance.
“AI will not take your job, but it will take the job of journalists who refuse to embrace it and give it to those who have adopted it,” he said.
Highlighting findings from a recent survey conducted under the project, Iorter disclosed that 95 percent of journalists already use at least one AI tool weekly in their work.
More so, he said 81 percent of respondents were only familiar with a single tool, widely identified as ChatGPT, while just 10 percent had received any formal training on AI from their organisations.
He described the figures as indicative of a wide knowledge and skills gap in the industry, which the training aims to address.
The SMI boss noted that many journalists expressed concerns about job displacement due to AI, but emphasised that such fears were misplaced if the technology is properly understood and utilised.
He urged media practitioners to embrace AI as a tool for improving workflow and newsroom efficiency, while also paying attention to ethical considerations and safety concerns associated with its use.
“It is not just about using AI effectively; it is also about using it responsibly and safely. While it offers efficiency, it also challenges our ethics as journalists. We must learn how to strike that balance,” he added.
The Artificial Intelligence and Media Project, according to him, is supported by the UNESCO International Programme for the Development of Communication, and is currently the only initiative of its kind in Nigeria receiving such backing this year.
The resource person, Titilope Fadare advised journalists to interact with AI production by making the final check as a way of enhancing quality control.
Fadare also advised against using AI to work on classified and sensitive documents in order to prevent compromise as well as using AI output as sole source of data.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, commended SMI for the choice of Edo Journalists for the training.