The Safer-Media Initiative (SMI), in collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence Media (AIM) Project and the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), has unveiled the Newsroom AI Policy Guidance Resources, calling on media organisations to embrace artificial intelligence responsibly while preserving the ethical foundations of journalism.
The event, held in Abuja, brought together media executives, editors, journalists, communication experts and development partners to deliberate on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in modern journalism.
Delivering his opening remarks, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Safer-Media Initiative, Peter Iorter, described Artificial Intelligence as one of the most disruptive innovations reshaping journalism globally.
Drawing from Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen’s Theory of Disruptive Innovation, Iorter said AI has transformed how news is gathered, produced, edited and distributed, while also creating unprecedented competition between traditional newsrooms and digital content creators.
He, however, warned that AI also poses serious challenges, including misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes, threats to editorial independence, ethical concerns, workforce displacement and declining advertising revenues for traditional media.
According to him, the AIM Project was conceived to prepare Nigerian newsrooms for AI integration while placing journalist safety and ethical reporting at the centre of technological adoption.
He disclosed that the project has already trained 107 journalists from 70 media organisations across Nigeria, equipping them with practical skills for the responsible deployment of AI in newsroom operations.
Iorter explained that the Newsroom AI Policy Guidance Resources were developed to help media organisations institutionalise responsible AI use through policies that strengthen transparency, accountability, editorial independence and public confidence.
“The future of journalism will not be determined by whether AI exists—it already does. It will be determined by how responsibly we choose to use it,” he stated.
Reviewing the policy documents, media scholar and communication expert, Dr. Lemmy Ughegbe, emphasised that AI must remain a tool that supports journalism rather than replacing journalists’ judgment.
He explained that the three guidance resources comprise the Editorial AI Policy Guidance, AI Governance Guidance for Nigerian Newsrooms, and the Gender-Sensitive AI Policy Guidance, describing them as complementary frameworks that address newsroom readiness before AI adoption, responsibility during its use and protection against abuse.
Ughegbe stressed that the fundamental question facing journalism is no longer whether AI should be used but whether it would be deployed transparently, safely and responsibly.
He repeatedly urged journalists never to surrender their critical thinking to artificial intelligence.
“You cannot yield your thinking faculties to artificial intelligence. Every newsroom must continually ask one question: Are you sure?” he said.
He warned against uploading confidential documents, unpublished investigations and sensitive source materials onto public AI platforms, noting that such actions could compromise investigations, expose sources and create legal liabilities for media organisations.
According to him, AI adoption should begin with low-risk applications such as transcription and translation while exercising greater caution in investigative journalism, election reporting and fully automated content generation.
Ughegbe maintained that every AI-assisted report must undergo rigorous human verification before publication since legal and ethical responsibility rests with journalists and media organisations—not AI systems.
“Artificial intelligence may assist journalists, but it must never replace the journalist’s judgment, responsibility or conscience,” he declared.
He also highlighted the gender implications of AI, warning that female journalists are increasingly exposed to AI-enabled harassment, manipulated images, synthetic sexual content and other forms of digital abuse.
He called on media organisations to establish confidential reporting mechanisms, provide legal and psychological support for victims and adopt zero tolerance for AI-enabled gender-based violence.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, the Council Secretary, Jide Oyekunle, described AI as a powerful digital tool that should complement rather than replace journalists.
While acknowledging that AI has transformed newsroom operations, he reminded practitioners that the technology cannot bear legal responsibility for published reports.
“AI can never be arrested. You will get arrested,” he remarked, stressing that journalists remain accountable for every story published under their bylines.
Oyekunle commended the Safer-Media Initiative for producing practical guidance resources that would assist Nigerian newsrooms in protecting editorial independence, strengthening data protection, promoting transparency and combating misinformation.
He urged journalists to continually upgrade their skills to ensure AI serves as an enhancement to professional journalism rather than a substitute for human intelligence.
Former Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council and Special Adviser on Media to the Governor of Cross River State, Comrade Emma Ogbeche, also underscored the need for critical thinking and fact-checking in AI-assisted journalism.
He warned journalists against accepting AI-generated outputs without verification, noting that AI often presents inaccurate information with convincing confidence.
Ogbeche recalled challenging an online newspaper publisher over excessive reliance on AI in news reporting, insisting that journalists must interrogate AI-generated claims and independently verify facts before publication.
He commended the Safer-Media Initiative for providing a framework that reinforces editorial scrutiny and professional accountability.
Similarly, President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), Danlami Nmodu, said no technology can replace the courage, ethical responsibility and editorial judgment of journalists.
Reflecting on over three decades in journalism, Nmodu described AI as a useful drafting tool but cautioned against treating its outputs as finished reports.
“The best AI can do is produce a rough draft. Never mistake a rough copy for the final copy. Nothing can replace the role of an editor, the desk officer and the human being who verifies facts before publication,” he said.
A major highlight of the event was the official unveiling of the Newsroom AI Policy Guidance Resources by distinguished guests and media leaders in the presence of journalists and other stakeholders. The symbolic unveiling marked the formal release of the guidance documents for adoption by Nigerian newsrooms as practical tools for ethical AI integration, editorial accountability, transparency and the protection of public trust.
Participants described the resources as timely interventions that would help media organisations navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape while safeguarding journalism’s core values of accuracy, fairness, independence and accountability.
The event ended with a collective call on news organisations across Nigeria to adopt and implement the policy guidance resources, with speakers unanimous that while artificial intelligence will continue to transform journalism, human judgment, editorial oversight and ethical responsibility must remain indispensable.
