Enugu state governor, Peter Mba, has cautioned journalists in the country against relying entirely on artificial intelligence (AI) in the practice of their profession.
Mba gave this warning on Friday in his welcome address delivered at a retreat organized by the State House Press Corps (SHPC) in Enugu.
Represented by his Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Sam Ugwu Chijioke, the governor said, “Artificial Intelligence is proof that there is always room to do things better.
But as journalists, you must never be so reliant on Artificial Intelligence to such extent that it dulls your creativity. That would be a total disservice to your profession.”
Describing Enugu as a state constantly bridging the void between rhetoric and action in governance, Mba stressed that the city has historically been a stomping ground for the media, right from the pre-Independence era.
Noting the roles of the media in the society, the governor said “As a bastion of democracy, it is essential that journalists never lose sight of their sacred role of holding leaders to account, and strengthening our institutions – lest they become simply beholden to power.
This ensures that it serves as society’s guardrails in our quest to build a cohesive and developed society. The media is the conscience of the nation.”
Speaking on how AI could be employed at a time when truth was so brazenly assailed by deliberate falsehood; at an era when AI could easily be deployed for untoward ends, the governor warned that “the pursuit of the big story and the lure of the sensational should never supplant the painstaking search for the truth.”
Remarking that the choice of ‘Artificial Intelligence Utilization for Effective Journalism’ as the theme of the retreat was apt, he stressed that “Artificial Intelligence is not the next frontier; it is actually with us now and impacting our lives in ways we may not immediately discern.”
He warned that AI must not be viewed from the lens of conspiracy theory of job loss but should be seen as a tool that could make people work smarter.
“Even without realizing, we are using Al tools in our everyday life, from direction apps like Google and Apple Maps to tasks such as internet searches.
So, there’s no playing the ostrich as far as Al is concerned; its influence looms large just as the impact of the steam engine had been during the Industrial Revolution,” he said.
Mba disclosed that his administration had ingeniously leveraged cutting-edge technology to secure lives and property in the state.
“This facility offers a round-the-clock coverage of our streets and neighbourhoods – helping us nip crime in the bud, and responding swiftly to emergency situations,” he said.
He added that his government
equally utilized the AI in overhauling the pedagogical foundation of the state’s education system by introducing the Smart Schools project in each of the 260 wards in the state.
“Our Smart School is designed to turn students from passive learners into creators, and to make them adept at the use of innovation tools. The transformation has been mind-blowing” he said.
Aside the strides recorded in the education system by his administration, the governor asserted that the state’s roads and transportation infrastructure have been overhauled to demonstrate that much could be accomplished when there were sufficient political will and the requisite vision.
The SHPC’s Chairman, Emmanuel Anule in his remarks thanked the governor for agreeing to host the newsmen in his state.
He said “As journalists working in this highly sensitive environment, we view training and continuous retraining as essential for enhancing both our individual skills and our collective ability to perform effectively on the job.
Your Excellency, we have
heard and read about your giant strides in the State that are significantly fast impacting various sectors such as education, infrastructure, security, and economic development.
