Nigerian Journalists Urged To Take Advantage Of AI Responsibly to Safeguard Creativity, Credibility

Kwara NUJ Chairman,  Lanre Ahmed 

Journalists in Kwara State have been urged to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance reporting while maintaining human oversight to preserve accuracy and originality.

The call was made by Kehinde Kamaldeen during a workshop titled “Artificial Intelligence (AI): Is Journalism on Trial?” organised by the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with E-SANAD Academy in Ilorin.

Kamaldeen cautioned that relying solely on AI-generated content could undermine journalistic integrity. “It is not encouraging for a journalist to depend completely on AI for answers,” he said. “There is a need to define tasks clearly, add context, set constraints, and structure content before publishing.”

He stressed that journalists must always fact-check AI outputs to ensure credibility, noting that the technology could help reporters work faster but cannot replace human judgment.

The Chief Executive Officer of ESANAD Consult Limited, Mr Ganiyu Yusuf Opeyemi, echoed this view, urging media practitioners to see AI as an assistant rather than a replacement. “AI can generate content quickly, but it is prone to errors known as ‘hallucinations’. When hallucination happens in journalism, human oversight is essential,” he said.

Mr Opeyemi explained that his organisation’s initiatives stemmed from research on news transmission and reporting patterns in mainstream newspapers, which revealed gaps in information verification.

“We looked at how proper checking of modern information can solve contemporary problems. Today, we train students, organisations, and government institutions on responsible AI use,” he added.

He advised journalists to use AI for tasks like paraphrasing and summarising but warned against allowing it to produce core news content without verification. “AI should add value to your work, not replace human responsibility,” he said.

The NUJ Kwara State Chairman, Lanre Ahmed Abdullateef, highlighted the risk of over-reliance on AI, saying the technology has reduced editorial pressures but could erode creativity.

“Some journalists who were once role models have sold their birthrights of quality writing by depending heavily on AI. Creativity must not die a natural death,” he warned.

Abdullateef urged journalists to balance AI use with continuous reading, professional development, and critical thinking.

He also called on Nigerian science and technology stakeholders to invest in developing local AI solutions to reduce dependence on foreign technologies.

With political activities expected to intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, resource persons stressed that ethical and responsible use of AI will be key to sustaining public trust in journalism.

“People will know you are using AI, but they must also see your effort as a journalist and how responsibly you applied it,” Mr Opeyemi said.