THE Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Ms. Grace Ike, has called on media practitioners to uphold core journalistic values in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
She emphasised the importance of authenticity, truthfulness, accuracy, and ethical practice as essential principles in navigating the evolving media landscape shaped by AI. Ike made the call yesterday while declaring open a workshop organised in collaboration with Chevron and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Abuja.
The workshop was themed, “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Journalism: Ethical Use, Efficiency and Combating Misinformation.”
Subtopics discussed at the workshop included: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Journalism in Nigeria. Freedom of Information and Media Accountability. Mental Health of Journalists in the Era of Social Media
Ms. Ike noted that AI was no longer a futuristic concept but a powerful tool reshaping how news was gathered, verified, and delivered. She explained that AI enhanced journalists’ ability to analyse vast data, detect misinformation, and engaged audiences more effectively.
“AI offers unprecedented opportunities to improve the speed, accuracy, and reach of our reporting, while playing a crucial role in fact-checking and verification,” she said.
She emphasised that with the rise of misinformation, especially during elections and public health crises, AI-powered platforms helped cross-reference claims against trusted databases and detect manipulated media such as deepfakes.
According to her, this strengthens the credibility of journalism by reducing errors and misinformation.
speaking further, she said, “However, embracing AI in journalism comes with ethical responsibilities.
“We must ensure transparency in AI algorithms and guard against biases that could skew reporting.
“Upholding the core journalistic values of authenticity, truthfulness, accuracy, and ethical practice remains paramount as we integrate these technologies.”
She affirmed that the NUJ FCT Council was committed to supporting media professionals in navigating this “brave new world.”
“We advocate for continuous digital literacy, ethical AI use, and collaboration among journalists, technologists, and policymakers to ensure AI serves the public interest and democratic values,” she added.
Ike urged journalists to embrace innovation boldly but responsibly, ensuring that technology enhanced their mission to inform, enlighten, and serve society with courage and integrity.
She commended Chevron Nigeria and other partners for their commitment to media capacity-building through training programmes and equipping journalists with modern digital tools to uphold ethical standards and promote good governance.
In his remarks, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs at Chevron Nigeria, Mr Olusoga Odeselu, said Chevron believed in the value of human capital development.
