Opportunities and Challenges for Media in the Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish opportunities and challenges for media in the coverage of artificial intelligence (AI) in Kenya. Today AI is continuously changing how societies live, work and function, and is now being applied in almost all life facets including communications and media. AI technologies not only enhance the efficiency of media production, distribution, and consumption, but they expose challenges related to misinformation, content manipulation, and potential threats to journalistic autonomy.

Methodology: Agenda setting and cognitive theories were used to navigate this paper.  Methodology used was content analysis, where 20 online goggle links spanning 24 months were studied and analysed. The links were isolated and classified into 4 sub themes namely; adoption, legislation, regulations and policy, misuse, corporate and government business processes. The links were then analysed according to study frames categories.

Findings: Findings show that generally, AI solutions were successfully deployed albeit erratically and several reasons point to this outcome. First, this was a typical case of mirror metaphor where the media simply reflect the existing AI landscape, rather than being a primary force that creates or transforms it. Secondly, media itself is taking a gradual metamorphosis into AI, given the inconsistent and erratic coverage revealed in the study. Policy and strategic implementation, integration across functions, talent and skills development, performance measurement were identified as enablers of AI adoption in media. Thirdly, there was no definitive legal basis on AI although regulation groundwork has been around since 2018. So, media like any sector faces significant hurdles due to absence of robust legal framework, and related challenges e.g. opacity, bias, misuse and fakes and intellectual property rights, data bias exists. Despite this, the media is expected to continue its growth trajectory of AI adoption.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study recommends continued upskilling of journalists and media in general to keep with evolving AI trends to remain relevant. Constant capacity building of journalists could be done to enable them to drive the implementation of AI in newsrooms. Support professionals such as data miners, software engineers, analysts, and coders could be incorporated to boost newsrooms’ capacity to interpret, unravel information and data issues of public interest for their audiences. Media policies could be reviewed to include artificial intelligence management while media owners could support their organization’s initiatives to adopt AI. Existing gaps and inequitable use of AI in all sectors e.g.  rural and urban economies may be highlighted and bridged, when media plays an advocacy role.