Journalism: ‘Artificial intelligence incapable of taking over human initiative’

A professor of mass communication in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Michael Ukonu has asked journalists and media practitioners not to be afraid of the application of artificial intelligence in the new and mainstream media, assuring that it would never overcome human intelligence.

Ukonu said that for instance, there are things that artificial intelligence cannot do such as trend analysis, noting that in most cases the use of artificial intelligence in news reporting has caused harm with its inaccuracies.

He gave an example of where the use of artificial intelligence in the United states of America did schedule an interview with a dead person only for the management to discover that Man to be interviewed had died some years past.

Ukonu agreed that every aspect of journalism is facing threats of technology such as citizen journalism, which he said is also incapable of rendering the traditional media extinct.

Prof Ukonu spoke while delivering a lecture at the State House Press Corps, SHPC, two days capacity building retreat and workshop, in Enugu.

According to him, “Technology is a fact but professionalism is also a fact, we don’t need to fear technology but artificial intelligence has done something different. We need to discover the place of journalism in the application of technology. Truth is artificial intelligence is revolutionizing journalism automation but there are things it cannot do such as trend analysis and so the journalist still has a lot of prompting to do using AI on trending topics.”

Ukonu differentiated Google from artificial intelligence, saying that whereas AI does specific search, Google gives generalized information, adding that it would be unfair to give complete credit to one who uses AI in his or her works.

Speaking in an interview the Chairman of SHPC, Dr. Emmanuel Anule said the workshop aimed at enhancing the skills and collective ability of journalists covering the Aso Rock Presidential Villa to perform effectively on the job, brought together 

Anule said, "We view training and continuous retraining as essential for enhancing both our individual skills and our collective ability to perform effectively on the job."

He commended Governor Peter Mbah's bold development initiatives, which he said have significantly impacted various sectors such as education, infrastructure, security, and economic development.

Addressing the workshop Governor Mbah, represented by the state commissioner for Environment, Prof Sam Ugwu, emphasized the crucial role of the media in governance, describing it as the "conscience of the nation." 

The governor stressed that the media plays a vital role in holding leaders accountable and strengthening institutions, serving as a watchdog for society.

"The media is the conscience of the nation and artificial intelligence is not the next frontier; it is actually with us now and impacting our lives in ways we may not immediately discern," Mbah said.

He highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence on journalism, noting that it can be a useful tool for journalists, but should not replace creativity and originality.