Accra, Oct. 23. Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, a communication expert and Artificial Intelligence (AI) consultant, has called on journalists and media organisations to adopt AI tools to boost efficiency and stay relevant in the rapidly evolving media landscape. Speaking at the opening of a three-day training session for reporters and editors of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, Dr Ayiku emphasised that ignoring AI could result in missed opportunities for transformative growth in journalism.
“AI is not going to replace journalists or take their jobs away. Rather, if you don’t know how to use AI, that’s where the challenge lies, because these tools are here to enhance journalists’ work,” he stated. Tracing the historical evolution of media from print to the digital age, Dr Ayiku stressed the importance of establishing ethical policies for AI use in newsrooms. “We need to have an established policy on the ethical use of AI because we cannot run away from it. We shouldn’t be shy about saying we are using AI, as it is here to stay and continually improving,” he added.
Dr Ayiku highlighted the influence of social media on news consumption patterns and urged media houses to reposition themselves to meet changing audience expectations. He introduced the concept of “Answer Engine Optimisation,” a digital strategy that ensures content is directly featured in search engine answers, such as AI overviews, featured snippets, and voice search results, making it the definitive answer to specific queries.
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During the session, participants were familiarised with AI tools and applications, including Canva AI for visual content creation, techniques for writing effective prompts, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot for editing, and Google Notebook LM for generating podcasts.
Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, General Manager of GNA, noted that the training was aimed at enhancing staff skills and positioning the Agency as a leading brand in Ghana’s media space and beyond. He encouraged journalists to apply the knowledge gained while assuring continued managerial support for professional development initiatives.
