Experts advocate responsible AI adoption in newsrooms

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforming the media landscape, industry leaders are urging journalists to champion its responsible adoption in newsrooms to enhance reporting.

They also called for safeguarding ethical standards.

Renowned media professionals and academicians made the call at the official launch of ToriAI, an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to revolutionize newsroom operations.

ToriAI, a brainchild of  the New Thoughts Media Support Foundation, was created in a bold step toward transforming journalism in Nigeria.

The launching of the AI tool held in Lagos on Thursday during the Innovation for Development Conference, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s AI Potentials for Media Sustainability and Democracy.”

The conference brought together media professionals, academics, innovators, and policymakers from across Nigeria to discuss the future of journalism in an era increasingly shaped by digital technology.

According to the organizers, the event marked “a defining moment in shared mission to build stronger, more inclusive, and digital newsrooms across Nigeria.”

At the heart of the gathering was ToriAI, a locally developed AI platform built to tackle the real challenges confronting Nigerian newsrooms, from the high cost of operations to the need for inclusive storytelling. The platform integrates multilingual summaries, automation, and accessibility tools to strengthen journalism sustainability and public relevance.

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In one of the panel sessions titled “AI Adoption: Lessons from the Newsroom,” moderated by Monsuroh Abdulsemiu, prominent journalists, including Tajudeen Sulaiman, Ajibola Amzat, and Mojeed Alabi, discussed the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in journalism. Mojeed Alabi emphasized the need for balance, noting that “by combining the strengths of AI with human judgment and expertise, we can create more accurate, informative, and engaging content.”

CCIJ African Editor Ajibola Amzat shared his optimism about AI’s impact on journalism and society at large, encouraging practitioners to embrace the technology as a partner rather than a threat. He said the media must “explore the many possibilities and applications of AI from a creative angle to solve complex newsroom problems.”

Also, The Whistler’s Editor, Tajudeen Sulaiman, stressed that journalists must apply critical thinking and contextual understanding to every AI-assisted output to ensure accuracy, fairness, and credibility in reporting.

“AI is powerful, but it doesn’t always understand the context of a story,” he said. “Without proper background knowledge, it can misrepresent issues or produce content that lacks depth.” He said

The newly launched ToriAI embodies key features such as audio news summaries that make information accessible to those who may not read written content. It is also an interactive platform where users can engage with stories via mobile phones and locally relevant content tailored to the everyday realities of Nigerian communities.

Lanre Ogunkunle, founder of Revocube Technologies, reiterated the need for responsible use of technology, remarking that “AI is not a wrong tool, it only becomes wrong in the hands of the wrong person.” His statement echoed as a reminder of the ethical dimensions of digital innovation.

Professor Musa Aibinu, Vice Chancellor of Summit University, Offa, also mentioned that “The next generation of illiterates will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who are not AI literate.” His words highlighted the urgency of integrating AI literacy into education and professional practice to prepare Nigeria for a technology-driven future.

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