The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Akeem Abas, has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) poses a threat only to journalists who fail to upgrade their digital skills, insisting that technology-driven journalism remains central to national development.
Abas made this assertion on Wednesday in Ibadan at a two-day AI training organised by the Oyo NUJ in collaboration with the American Open University, Nigeria.
The training with the theme: “Empowering journalists with Artificial Intelligence for ethical, innovative and future-ready journalism,” brought together no fewer than 120 journalists across the state.
Speaking at the event, Abas said journalists equipped with AI and digital competencies should not be viewed as liabilities but as strategic partners in nation-building.
He said journalists who embrace AI can expand beyond traditional reporting to become media consultants, data analysts, content strategists, and communication advisers to governments, institutions, and private organisations.
The NUJ chairman stated that such journalists could also establish media-tech startups, fact-checking platforms, investigative journalism labs, digital storytelling studios, and AI-assisted news platforms serving specialised audiences.
Abas further noted that journalists could function as policy advisers and public communication experts, providing research-based insights, public engagement strategies and evidence-driven narratives to public institutions.
“This training is not charity; it is capacity building in the truest sense,” Abas said.
He explained that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s digital economy agenda, which prioritises innovation, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and human capital development.
“As Nigeria moves towards a knowledge-based economy, journalists must not be excluded from this transformation,” he said.
Abas recalled that during the NUJ electioneering process, his leadership promised to move beyond symbolic unionism to policy-driven engagement focused on relevance and sustainability.
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“This training is a direct fulfillment of that promise. AI will not replace journalists; it will only replace journalists who refuse to learn,” he stated.
He urged participants to shift from routine reporting to analytical, data-driven, and solution-oriented journalism that interrogates public policy and strengthens democratic accountability.
Abas warned that while journalism has survived multiple technological disruptions, survival has always depended on adaptation rather than resistance.
“Artificial Intelligence must amplify human judgment, not replace it. It must serve democracy, not undermine it,” he said.
Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the rise of AI as a positive development but warned that it could be abused for harmful purposes if left unchecked.
He noted that studies had already established AI as an integral part of modern journalism, both now and in the future.
