Journalism Stakeholders Call for AI Training, Ethical Guidelines in Newsrooms

Nigerian civic and media executives called for mandatory AI training programs and ethical guidelines for newsrooms at Wednesday’s Innovation for Development Conference in Lagos, organised by The New Thoughts Media Support Foundation, NTMSF.

The one-day conference, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s AI Potentials for Media Sustainability and Democracy,” brought together journalists, technologists, media managers, policymakers, academics, and civil-society actors to explore how artificial intelligence can strengthen media innovation, transparency, and democratic accountability.

Delivering the keynote address, Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times and CEO of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID emphasised the need for ethical, inclusive, and purpose-driven AI adoption in the media industry. Olorunyomui, who was represented by Monsur Hussain, Head of Innovation, CJID, noted that while AI offers immense opportunities for innovation, it must be deployed responsibly to safeguard democracy and journalistic integrity.

The conference also featured the launch of Tori AI, a platform designed to support journalists in producing multilingual and multimedia content, to broaden audience engagement. Seun Akinfolarin, Executive Director of NTMSF, said the development of ToriAI aligns with the foundation’s mission to promote accountability and empower communities through digital tools and journalism. 

Participants witnessed firsthand how ToriAI can transform traditional reporting into podcasts, audio briefs, local-language outputs, and platform-specific social media posts. The discussions produced several key outcomes and recommendations on responsible AI adoption, capacity building, local solutions and a collaborative ecosystem.

Policy experts at the event also urged NTMSF to initiate pilot projects with small and mid-sized newsrooms, calling for sustained dialogue among regulators, technologists, and journalists to shape inclusive AI governance frameworks.

Founded in 2023, NTMSF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing media development, transparency, and citizen empowerment. Its initiatives include training journalists in investigative and data journalism, leveraging civic tech for accountability, and promoting sustainable business models for independent media.