By Elizabeth Osayande

Journalists who attended the Lagos arm of the artificial intelligence and media, AIM project: Navigating the present and shaping the future, have expressed joy over the timeliness of the training as they shared their experiences.

The training tagged: “AI tools for journalists: Effective, responsible and safe use, “ organised by Safer-Media Initiative, SMI supported by UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication, IPDC, drew participants keen to explore how AI can transform reporting while upholding ethics and public trust.

Lead trainer Titilope Fadare, founder of GenAI with Titi, conducted practical sessions that gave participants hands-on exposure to AI tools already in use across newsrooms.

Sharing her experience on LinkedIn, a journalist and participant at the training, Aminat Miskilu has this to say: “Generative Al is changing journalism; yes, I just experienced it firsthand. I recently stepped into a whole new world of using Al tools to enhance my reporting and position local stories for a global audience.

“Learning from Titilope Fadare at the Safer-Media Initiative workshop was eye-opening. She broke down the effective, responsible, and safe use of Al tools in a way that made everything feel practical and accessible.

“One key takeaway? Create a dedicated email for Al tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity Al, Claude, Grok and others. It’s a small habit that protects your workflow, data and privacy.

“But beyond tools, there was also the lesson of responsibility: Al should support our storytelling, not replace our judgment.Be transparent about Al use; Label Al-generated content; Maintain editorial accountability; and Always verify and add human context.

“One warning that stuck with me is to never upload sensitive information into public Al tools.

“Protect your sources. Protect your data. Al can also “hallucinate”, producing inaccurate or misleading information, so as journalists, our role as gatekeepers remains critical. Sometimes, it contradicts itself. At times, it may go off-topic, introduce unrelated ideas, or agree with users even when they are wrong. That alone is reason enough to stay vigilant.

“The training also emphasised the need for human oversight at every stage where Al is used. Verification and contextual review are critical. No matter how advanced these tools become, the journalist’s role as a gatekeeper of truth remains essential.

“This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone. We’re no longer just using Al; we’re entering the era of agentic Al, and the shift is happening fast, moving beyond basic chatbots into more autonomous systems. It’s both humbling and empowering,” Miskilu explained.

For another participant, a journalist with the Guardian Newspaper, Sunday Aikulola, the training deepened his knowledge on various AI tools. “I learned how to use these tools Chat GTP, Gemini, Claude and Microsoft Co-pilot, among others.

In addition, a correspondent with Champion Newspapers, Blessing Taiwo, explained that the training will not only aid her journalistic work, but served as template for ethical considerations.

“The training was expository and practical. I have been introduced to more helpful AI tools to aid my journalistic work.

“Also, the ethical and professional use of the tools were emphasised drawing the line that AI should not be solely depended on but used to improve and hasten tasks.”

Earlier on, SMI’s Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Iorter, reiterated the urgency of the training which held across various centres in Nigeria.

His words: “Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept—it is here, shaping how stories are discovered, verified, and told. But with these opportunities come responsibilities. That is why this training is not just important—it is urgent.”

More background to the story:

Findings from a recent SMI survey revealed that 95% of Nigerian journalists use AI tools at least once a week, with ChatGPT the most popular (85%). Yet only 10% have received formal AI training from their organisations. According to Iorter, this underscores the need for structured programmes to close the knowledge and skills gap.

The survey also found that the most significant fear among journalists is job displacement. Addressing this, Iorter reassured participants: “AI will not replace journalists. But journalists who use AI responsibly will replace those who do not.”