Harnessing the power of GenAI to revolutionise African newsrooms
Janette Eni Oluebube’s experience integrating GenAI into African newsrooms through a fellowship with Code for Africa and Deutsche Welle Akademie.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful catalyst for enhancing and transforming the African media sector. Moreover, there is a pressing need to support newsrooms, particularly in training and financial assistance, to facilitate access to these technologies.
These conclusions stem from a transformative experience I underwent in a fellowship implemented by Code for Africa (CfA) in partnership with Deutsche Welle Akademie (DWA) to assist Kenyan newsrooms in developing AI-powered tools and resources. The fellowship kicked off on 8 January 2024.
As an AI Prompt Engineer for the fellowship, my responsibilities included crafting prompts and strategies to facilitate the integration of Generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning into newsrooms, thereby augmenting the quality and impact of journalism.
Throughout the fellowship and under the mentorship of experts from CfA, I collaborated with a newsroom based in Kenya on rapid prototype projects. The primary objective was to harness AI technology to innovate and enhance journalistic practices.
Navigating challenges
Navigating the challenges encountered during the fellowship required implementing effective strategies to ensure the successful integration of GenAI into African newsrooms. For instance, resistance to adopting new technologies and tight schedules posed significant obstacles to seamless integration.
A strategic approach was adopted to address these challenges, involving regular stakeholder meetings to facilitate open dialogue and garner buy-in for GenAI integration. Surveys were conducted to gain insights into current practices and challenges, informing the development of tailored strategies.
Presentations and training sessions were organised to showcase GenAI’s potential in journalism and alleviate concerns. Hands-on demonstrations empowered media staff to explore practical applications, while rapid prototype projects facilitated real-time feedback and iteration to ensure usability and ethical alignment.
Regular check-ins and reflection sessions fostered ongoing collaboration and learning, ultimately enabling newsrooms to overcome challenges and harness GenAI’s transformative power.
In conclusion, AI in African journalism has immense innovation and impact potential. With collaborative efforts and a commitment to ethical practice, African newsrooms are poised to harness GenAI’s transformative power, shaping the future of information dissemination locally and globally.
This blogpost was written by Janette Eni Oluebube, under the Generative AI Fellowship Programme conducted by Code for Africa in partnership with Deutsche Welle Akademie. It was edited by AFCA Chief Coordinator Bilal Tairou, and Mary Mutisya, Copy Editor at PesaCheck, and approved for publication by Doreen Wainainah, Managing Editor at PesaCheck.
