By Eddah Waithaka
As Africa’s media landscape undergoes rapid transformation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as both a powerful tool and a disruptive force. To examine its impact, the Africa Media Festival, in collaboration with Baraza Media Lab, recently convened a high-level media roundtable titled *“Innovation: AI for Sustainable Media Futures.”*
The event brought together thought leaders, journalists, regulators, and AI experts to explore how AI could be harnessed responsibly to drive sustainability in African media.
The forum provided a platform for stakeholders to share insights, showcase best practices, and collaborate on AI-driven solutions. Discussions centered on AI’s potential to enhance journalism, optimize content creation, and streamline media operations while maintaining ethical standards and regulatory compliance.
AI Adoption in African Media: Challenges and Opportunities According to recent studies, over 50% of global media organizations have adopted AI tools for content generation, curation, and distribution.
In Africa, however, the uptake has been slower due to limited access to technology, inadequate training, and regulatory concerns. Despite these challenges, several media houses have begun integrating AI for newsroom automation, audience analytics, and fact-checking.
Baraza Media Lab hosted this roundtable to examine the disruptions AI is causing in the media sector. While AI’s role in journalism was acknowledged as inevitable, participants emphasized the need for caution to safeguard journalistic integrity.
Industry Leaders Weigh In
Maurice Otieno, Executive Director of Baraza Media Lab, highlighted the dual nature of AI, stating, “AI is too perfect—where do we draw the line? As African journalists, we cannot remain passive; we must actively participate in shaping AI’s role. Reuters research shows that 50% of global media organizations use AI tools. We must protect creative and editorial autonomy while adopting AI responsibly through better regulation and training.”
Ms. Mukui Mbindyo, Head of Partnerships at Africa Digital Media Group, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of human creativity.
“Creativity and human intuition remain crucial, even in an AI-driven media world. Africa lags in AI adoption due to limited exposure, making us consumers rather than creators. Addressing this gap is essential to remain competitive,” she noted.
Karanja Jackson, Regional Coordinator at the Media Council of Kenya, stressed the importance of upskilling journalists. “AI is not replacing journalists; rather, those who understand AI will replace those who do not. The Media Council of Kenya is actively training journalists to combat misinformation and developing ethical AI guidelines,” he said.
Jackson also called for regulatory measures to ensure AI-generated content maintains accuracy and accountability.
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From the academic sector, Dr. Keziah Wangui Githinji, a lecturer in Broadcast Multimedia Journalism at USIU, shared insights on the evolving role of education. “Education must adapt to AI’s rise, especially in multimedia journalism. It has become easier to detect AI-generated content, but the key question remains: how do we work smartly with AI rather than fear it?” she asked.
The Path Forward: Collaboration and Ethical AI
With AI adoption rising globally, the roundtable underscored the need for Africa to invest in digital literacy and AI training to ensure its media remains innovative and competitive. Participants agreed that AI’s success hinges on its ethical application and practical use within journalism. While automation enhances efficiency, they stressed that AI should complement rather than replace human creativity, fact-checking, and editorial oversight.
The roundtable discussion at Baraza Media Lab offices also served as a prelude to the upcoming Africa Media Festival, scheduled for 26th and 27th February at the National Museums of Kenya. The festival promises to delve deeper into these critical issues, fostering industry collaboration, policy recommendations, and strategic AI integration in media houses across the continent.
As AI continues to reshape the global media landscape, Africa’s ability to adapt and innovate will determine its place in the future of journalism. The roundtable has set the stage for a thoughtful and inclusive approach to AI, ensuring that African media remains both sustainable and impactful.
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