-President Ali says, urges responsible use while safeguarding human judgement and editorial responsibility
PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has urged Caribbean broadcasters to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to strengthen journalism, while cautioning against allowing the technology to replace human judgement and editorial responsibility.
The Head of State made this known during a recent address at the opening ceremony of the 57th Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) Annual General Assembly, during which he noted that AI should be incorporated into newsrooms to improve efficiency, particularly as media organisations contend with limited resources and rapidly changing technology.
“Use AI, certainly,” the President said, while noting that the technology could be used to transcribe interviews, search large databases, analyse data, translate materials and identify patterns.
However, he warned that the efficiency offered by AI must not come at the expense of the human element of journalism.
“Never allow the technology to become the journalists,” Dr Ali said, as he argued that journalism involves far more than processing and arranging information.
He said journalists must be able to listen, observe, develop relationships and understand tone and context, particularly when reporting on sensitive issues.
“A journalist knows when a grieving mother needs silence rather than another question,” Dr Ali said.
Against this backdrop, he questioned whether an algorithm could fully understand those nuances, pointing to the emotional, cultural, and human dimensions of journalism that cannot simply be reduced to data.
Dr Ali said a reporter covering the aftermath of a hurricane, for example, does more than collect information about wind speeds and rainfall. The journalist also observes the human impact of the disaster, including families who have lost their homes and individuals trying to recover their livelihoods.
“That is why I believe the future of media must remain human centred,” he said.
The President also warned that the increasing use of AI was making misinformation and disinformation more difficult to detect, particularly with the proliferation of deepfakes.
He called for greater investment in verification and regional fact-checking capacity, as well as clear standards governing the use and disclosure of AI-generated materials.
As such, the CBU, he said, should play a leading role in championing legislation and standards in this area.
President Ali said the challenge facing Caribbean media was therefore not whether to accept or reject AI, but how to understand, regulate and use the technology responsibly.
“We should not reject AI. We should understand it, regulate it wisely, and use it intelligently,” he said.
