ADOPTION AND USAGE OF ARTIFCIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR JOURNALISTIC PRATICES AMONG JOURNALISTS IN KWARA STATE.

Abstract

The study examined the perceived effect of artificial intelligence on ethical journalism among journalists in Kwara State. The objectives of the study were to (i) determine the level of awareness of artificial intelligence for journalistic practice among journalists in Kwara State. (ii) examine the artificial intelligence tools for journalistic practice among journalists in Kwara State. (iii) determine the usage of artificial intelligence tools for the journalistic practice among journalists in Kwara State (iv) determine the effect of artificial intelligence on journalistic practice on journalists in Kwara State. This study made use of Cross-sectional research design and survey research was adopted as the research method. Two hundred and five available journalists constituted the population of the study. A total of one hundred and thirty-four served as the sample size which was drawn from the total population of Journalists in Kwara State by subjecting the population to the Krejcie and Morgan table. Questionnaires were used to collect data which was analyzed with statistical methods indicating frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The study found that there is a positive perception and a notable level of awareness, among journalists in Kwara State regarding artificial intelligence tools for journalistic practice. Also, there is a positive outlook among journalists in Kwara State towards various artificial intelligence tools used for journalistic practice. Moreso, journalists in Kwara State have a high level of usage of artificial intelligence, as they actively incorporate AI tools into their daily work routines, lastly, artificial intelligence tools have significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of news gathering and production, leading to improved accuracy and fact-checking in journalism practices in Kwara State. The study, therefore, recommends that; media organizations should foster more public awareness about AI's role in journalism to foster trust and understanding among audiences. Communicate how AI tools enhance accuracy, storytelling, and data analysis in news reporting, and invest in training programs to upskill journalists on how to effectively use artificial intelligence tools for their reporting, as this will empower journalists to make the most out of AI technologies and leverage them to enhance the quality of their stories.