A PAPER PRESENTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF NUJ, EDO STATE COUNCIL, COMRADE FESTUS ALENKHE ON THE THEME: JOURNALISM IN THE ERA OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DURING THE 2024 PRESS WEEK OF DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION, EDO STATE POLYTECHNIC, USEN ON JULY 9, 2024

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Introduction

The introduction of New Information Communication Technology (NICT) has greatly revolutionised the process of information gathering, processing and dissemination.

The invention and global spread of the printing press around 1440, with the invention by Johannes Gutenberg of the movable-type printing press actually started the digital technology that brought about the revolution in the communication industry which has created a lot of possibilities.

These possibilities are part of the issues that brought us together here today - a discourse on Journalism in the era of Artificial Intelligence, AI for short.

AI, according to Glover (2024), is an artificial system developed in computer software or other context that solves tasks requiring human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning communication or physical action. It is the science of making machines that can think like humans. It allows machines to match or even improve upon capabilities of the human mind.

AI has given rise to what is called deepfake which can be considered as a form of fake news. Deepfake is the phenomenon of creation of realistic digital products and a plethora of videos have emerged out of it. Some of the widespread applicability of AI is evidenced in self driving cars, super human performance in games, intelligent robots etc.

Deepfakes are specific application of AI that involves creating manipulated or fabricated contents, usually in the form of images, video or audio recordings. It is a narrow application of AI that generates AI techniques to create convincing fakes that can be used to mislead people

Recent examples of deepfakes in Nigeria highlight the growing challenge of AI-powered disinformation. A significant instance involved a deepfake video of Peter Obi, a prominent political figure and the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 general election. In this fake video, Obi appeared to endorse policies that contradicted his public stance, leading to confusion and potential damage to his reputation. 

This incident underscores how deepfakes can be weaponized to influence public perception and political outcome. Moreover, deepfakes have been used in other parts of the world for political manipulation, showing the broader context of this technology's impact.

The proliferation of deepfakes raises significant concerns about the integrity of information, especially during election periods. Efforts are being made globally to detect and mitigate the effects of these falsified media, but the technology's rapid advancement poses ongoing challenges. 

When the sophisticated capabilities of Deep Learning are applied, images, texts, and voices can be created or altered in a highly realistic way. As such, Deep Learning has also enabled the creation of fake texts, fake voices, fake videos, fake photos all of which may at first look genuine and realistic while they are not. 

AI has demonstrated recently the capability of creating realistic fake video as it can, for example, take an existing video and superimpose a person's photo on the face of the main character or alter the voice of someone to say or do things that do not adhere to  reality and were never performed. 

Some technological capabilities  have the potential to reshape the digital media, while the societal implications could also be severe as they undermine the public confidence on what is seen, heard and eventually believed to be true

This paper shall attempt to look at AI from the perspective of using it as an instrument for the gathering, processing and dissemination of information to members of the public - journalism.

Overall, while AI presents both challenges and opportunities for journalism, it is clear that AI will continue to play roles that are fundamental in news gathering, production and dissemination in the coming years. 

However, the use of AI in journalism practice raises ethical concerns around transparency,  accountability, and the potential for bias in automated systems.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

The term "artificial intelligence" was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956. He is considered one of the founding figures in the field of AI and organized the Dartmouth Conference that year, which is often regarded as the birth of AI as a research discipline. At this conference, McCarthy and his colleagues defined AI as "the science and engineering of making intelligent machines."

Artificial intelligence is a computer systems that are capable of performing tasks traditionally associated with human intelligence, such as

making predictions, identifying objects, interpreting speech and generating natural language. AI systems learn how to do so by processing massive amounts of data and looking for patterns to model in their own decision-making. In many cases, humans will supervise an AI’s learning process, reinforcing good decisions and discouraging bad ones, but some AI systems are designed to learn without supervision

Over time, AI systems improve on their performance of specific tasks, allowing them to adapt to new inputs and make decisions without being explicitly programmed to do so. In essence, AI is about teaching machines to think and learn like humans, with the goal of automating work and solving problems more efficiently.

In its application, AI simulates the human intelligence process by machines, especially computer system. Put simply, AI is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. It is a branch of computer science that is rooted in binary codes and unethical algorithms. It uses computation methods to perform tasks that previously required human intelligence. ie, cognitive functions associated with human minds, including perceiving, receiving, learning, interacting with the environment, problem solving and exercising creativity. 

AI is important for its potential to change how humans live, work and play. On several occasions, AI can perform tasks more efficiently and accurately than humans and can open doors to entirely new opportunities, especially for larger organisations.

For instance, prior to the current wave of AI, it would have been difficult to imagine using a computer software to connect riders to taxis on demand as it is presently done by many transportation services companies

Journalism in the era of Artificial Intelligence

The integration of generative AI tools has been transforming various industries and journalism is no exception. 

In recent years, media organisations have been experimenting with AI to automate news production, personalise content delivery and enhance data-driven insights. With AI, it is now of common knowledge that not all pictures, videos or graphics are true because they can be manipulated to look real. 

Essentially, AI tools signal a new era in journalism with efficiency, speed and content diversity. AI is transforming journalism practice in a profound way. This transformation could either be positive or negative, depending on where one stands in an attempt to bifurcate the uses of AI in journalism.

Today, AI is being used to improve news production by automating tasks like data analysis, content curation and article generation. This allows journalists to work more efficiently and produce more content. 

Several Nigerian media organizations are incorporating AI to enhance their operations and improve content delivery, notably, the Punch, Guardian, Premium Times and Channels television.

1. The Punch: Punch leverages AI for data analysis and automated reporting to streamline news production and deliver real-time updates.

2. The Guardian: This outlet uses AI-driven tools for personalized content recommendations and improving user experience on their digital platforms.

3. Channels TV: Channels TV utilizes AI in its to newsroom for tasks such as video transcription, content recommendation and audience engagement.

4. Premium Times: This newspaper employs AI for investigative journalism, particularly in analyzing large datasets to uncover hidden trends and insights.

These implementations of AI help Nigerian media organizations improve efficiency, enhance user experience, and maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving media landscape

The use of AI in journalism offers several advantages and disadvantages, thus reflecting its impact on the industry. Such advantages include:

1. Efficiency: AI can process and analyze vast amounts of data quickly and thus enabling journalists to gather and sift through information more efficiently. This speed can be crucial in breaking news situations and enabling real-time reporting and monitoring.

2. Automation of Routine Tasks: AI can automate repetitive tasks such as data collection, transcription, and fact-checking. This process allows journalists' time to attend to other routine tasks. 

3. Personalization: AI algorithms can personalize news content for individual readers based on their preferences and behaviours, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.

4. Enhanced Insights: AI-powered analytics can provide journalists with deeper insights into audience behaviour, content performance, and emerging trends, helping them to tailor their reporting and storytelling.

5. Data Analysis: AI can analyze large datasets to identify trends and patterns and help journalists uncover new stories.

6. Content Creation: AI can assist in generating content such as summaries and headlines.

7.  Multimedia Capabilities: AI technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and computer vision enable the creation of interactive graphics, automated video summaries, and other multimedia formats that enrich storytelling.

8. For advertisers, AI can be a useful resource in creating and tailoring graphics to suit the prevailing market trend.

Notwithstanding the advantages associated with the use of AI in journalism, concerns are raised about the potential challenges associated with the application of AI in journalism. They include:

1. Quality and Accuracy: AI-generated content may lack the nuance, context, and editorial judgment that human journalists bring, potentially leading to inaccuracies or biased reporting.

2. Ethical Concerns: AI raises ethical issues around transparency, accountability, and the use of personal data. There are concerns about AI algorithms influencing public opinion or being used for misinformation.

3. Job Displacement: As AI automates more tasks, there is a concern about job displacement in journalism. Traditional roles may evolve, requiring new skills in AI-driven tools and technologies.

4. Dependency on Technology: Reliance on AI tools may diminish critical thinking and investigative skills among journalists, affecting the profession's overall quality and independence.

5. Cost and Accessibility: Implementing AI technologies can be costly, limiting access for smaller media organizations or journalists with fewer resources

6. With the way AI is programmed, it is unclear who is responsible for its output, hence AI contents lack transparency which can be erode accountability and public trust.  

7. Lack of Empathy: AI-generated content lacks the emotional understanding and empathy that is crucial in reporting sensitive storie challenges that must be addressed.

8. Lack of Creativity: AI-generated content lacks the originality and creativity of human journalism.

9. Lack of Creativity: AI-generated content lacks the originality and creativity of human journalism.

10. Biased Reporting: AI algorithms can perpetuate biases if not designed with diversity in mind, leading to systemic discrimination.

11. Verification and fact checking: While AI can assist in rapidly processing large database, journalists must still verify the accuracy of AI generated insights through rigorous fact checking and oversight role. This is because, AI can generate falsehood and present it as facts.

12. Copyright and Attribution: In AI, there is no industry stands to properly credit contents generated by algorithms.

Overall, while AI re-tools and enhances journalistic practices in terms of efficiency, personalization, and innovation, it also poses challenges related to ethics, quality, and the future of journalism as a profession. Balancing the benefits with these considerations is essential for responsibly integrating AI into journalism.

AI should complement and not replace critical thinking and creative instincts of human journalists. Over reliance on AI could diminish the depth and nuance of investigative journalism

The impact of AI has been both promising and overhyped. It has been a timeless force shaping the landscape of journalism even with the recent surge of various generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Zapier, DALL-E, Bard and more.

With fears of job loss due to automation, Journalists will need to develop new skills like AI literacy to adapt to these changes and work alongside AI systems. Media organisations must develop policies for AI use and ensure transparency and ethical implementation. Newsrooms on their part must proactively address the ethical and practical implications to ensure AI is used responsibly to enhance journalism. Newsrooms also need to develop clear guidelines and policies to mitigate these risks.

To remain relevant in the era of AI, journalists should leverage AI technologies and adapt to the changing media landscape by:

1. Understand AI and its implications: Journalists should familiarize themselves with AI technologies, including how they work, their applications in media and journalism, and the ethical considerations surrounding their use.

2. Use AI tools for research and reporting: Journalists can use AI-powered tools for tasks such as data analysis, fact-checking, sentiment analysis, and content curation. These tools can help streamline workflows and provide valuable insights.

3. Develop data literacy: Data literacy is increasingly important for journalists working in the AI era. Journalists should be comfortable working with data, interpreting data visualizations, and understanding statistical concepts to effectively report on complex issues.

4. Collaborate with AI experts: Journalists can collaborate with AI experts, data scientists, and technologists to explore new storytelling formats, develop interactive content, and leverage AI tools for investigative reporting.

5. Stay informed about AI trends: Journalists should stay up-to-date on the latest developments in AI and how they are shaping the media industry. This includes attending conferences, workshops, and training sessions on AI and journalism.

6. Safeguard Against Deepfakes: Develope and implement tools to fact-check and counteract deepfake videos and other forms of manipulated content. Journalists should be vigilant in fact-checking and verifying sources to maintain credibility. AI can help identify these falsified media types and maintain the integrity and accuracy of news

7. Ethical considerations: Journalists should consider the ethical implications of using AI in their reporting. This includes transparency about the use of AI tools, protecting privacy rights, and ensuring fairness and accuracy in reporting.

8. Experiment with new storytelling formats: AI technologies enable new storytelling formats, such as interactive graphics, chatbots, and personalized content. Journalists can experiment with these formats to engage audiences in innovative ways.

9. Invest in Training: Ensure that journalists are trained in using AI tools and understanding their implications. This includes data literacy, AI ethics, and the technical skills needed to work alongside AI.

10. Engage with Audiences: Use AI to analyze audience feedback and engagement metrics. This can help media organizations understand their audience better and tailor content to meet their needs and preferences.

11. Maintain Editorial Integrity: Use AI to enhance, not replace, human judgment in news production. Editorial decisions should always involve human oversight to ensure accuracy, fairness, and ethical considerations.

By embracing AI technologies, developing new skills, and staying informed about AI trends, journalists can continue to be relevant and effective storytellers in the AI era.

What does the future holds for AI?

Though difficult to predict accurately, one can expect to see the growth and adoption of AI by more people and organisations, changes in the workforce as more automation eliminates and creates jobs in equal measure, more robotics and autonomous vehicles. On whether AI is good or bad, it is a personal opinion as it can be used for beneficial and harmful purposes.

However, like in every other situation, caution and responsibility are vital for ensuring that it is developed and used in an ethical, transparent and responsible manner

NOTE

In the build-up to the Edo 2024 governorship election, there have been concerns about the use of deepfakes, though no specific instances have been confirmed officially, except the one in which Joe Biden, the President of America was heard endorsing the APC candidate for the 2024 Edo governorship election

Misinformation and disinformation campaigns, including deepfakes, have become a growing concern globally, particularly in politically charged environments like elections.

For the Edo 2024 election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has emphasized the need for transparency and integrity. As campaigns progress, the dissemination of false information, including potential deepfakes, could be used to influence voter perception. One issue of grave concern is that the media will be used as a platform to promote the ungodly act.  However, authorities and stakeholders have been urged to remain vigilant against such tactics to maintain the election's credibility and fairness.

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