Chinese Scholar Urges African Media Practitioners to Embrace AI

Chen Yingying, an Associate Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China, has urged African media practitioners to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), stressing its potential to enhance efficiency in journalism despite associated risks.

Chen gave the advice during a virtual presentation at a training workshop organised in Nairobi by the Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau. The programme, themed “The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Its Impact on Journalism,” brought together nearly 100 editors and reporters from more than 10 media organisations across Africa.

He explained that while AI would not replace human journalists, it should be seen as an assistive tool that can improve news gathering, packaging, and dissemination. “AI tools can be useful in transcribing, analysing data, and developing graphics,” Chen said, while also warning of risks such as the spread of misinformation.

Rosalia Omungo, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Editors’ Guild, described the training as timely, noting that AI had already begun to make inroads into Kenyan journalism. She said China’s experience offered a useful model for African newsrooms and stressed the importance of continuous training to dispel myths surrounding the technology.

“I think AI uptake has begun. That is where Kenyan journalism should go because AI is coming to provide efficiency, to augment systems that are in place, the news processes, news-gathering, and dissemination,” she said.

Patrick Vidija, a digital editor at Kenya’s Standard Media Group, also hailed the training as impactful, noting that journalists already interact with AI in digital spaces. “This training is timely since we are able to open our perspective on how to apply and use AI,” he said.

Participants were also taken through Xinhua News Agency’s journey of integrating AI into its news production pipeline, covering reporting, research, editing, and dissemination.