For many journalists, artificial intelligence has become the new quiet fear in the newsroom. Not because machines are writing better stories, but because the journalism industry is changing faster than some people are willing to admit.

That tension sat at the heart of a two-day training organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council, where the message from the union’s leadership was blunt. Artificial intelligence is not coming for journalism. It is coming for journalists who refuse to learn.

Chairman of the Oyo NUJ, Akeem Abas, made that clear while addressing participants at the training in Ibadan, organised in partnership with the American Open University, Nigeria. According to him, the profession is at a crossroads where skills, not job titles, will determine who stays relevant.

Abas said journalists who understand digital tools and artificial intelligence are not a danger to national development, but essential partners in it. He argued that the future journalist is no longer limited to filing stories but can work across data analysis, content strategy and public communication for governments, institutions and the private sector.

With the right skills, he said journalists can build new businesses around fact-checking, investigative reporting, digital storytelling and artificial intelligence-assisted news platforms that serve specific audiences. Others, he added, can move into policy advisory roles, helping lawmakers and public institutions interpret data, shape narratives and communicate more effectively with citizens.

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He stressed that the training was not an act of charity, but an investment in survival.

“This vision aligns squarely with Nigeria’s Digital Economy Agenda, which prioritises digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship and human capital development as drivers of national growth,” Abas said.

“As the country pushes towards a knowledge-based economy, journalists must not be excluded from this transformation.”

He reminded participants that the current NUJ leadership in Oyo State had promised to move beyond symbolic unionism during its campaign, committing instead to policies that help members stay relevant in a changing economy.

“This training of 120 journalists is a direct fulfilment of that promise; artificial intelligence will not replace journalists, it will only replace journalists who refuse to learn,” he said.

Abas challenged journalists to move away from routine reporting and lean into analysis, solutions and accountability, urging them to interrogate data, interpret policies and explain complex issues in ways that strengthen democracy.

“To policymakers and stakeholders present, this initiative sends a strong message; investing in journalists is investing in transparency, stability and informed governance,” he said.

“A technologically competent press is not a luxury; it is a national necessity.”

He cautioned that artificial intelligence must remain a tool, not a substitute for human judgment.

“Journalism has survived every technological disruption because it adapts without surrendering its soul,” Abas said.

“Artificial intelligence must amplify human judgment, not replace it; it must serve democracy, not undermine it.”

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, shared a similar view, describing artificial intelligence as a positive development, while warning that it also carries risks if misused.

He noted that, like many global innovations, artificial intelligence can be deployed for harmful purposes by online users, even as studies show that it has become an integral part of modern journalism.

Oyelade pointed to governance in Oyo State as an example of how data and technology can deliver results when applied deliberately. He said the success of the Seyi Makinde administration is rooted in the consistent use of science and data in decision-making.

“In Oyo State, the key factor behind the success of the Seyi Makinde-led administration is the religious deployment of science and data in governance,” he said.

According to him, the digitisation of land transactions at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has blocked financial leakages, reduced fraud and significantly increased the state’s internally generated revenue.

He said Oyo State recorded ₦103 billion in IGR in 2025, a figure that surpassed the combined revenue of the previous two administrations.

Oyelade urged journalists to take advantage of the training for both personal development and organisational growth, while commending the Oyo NUJ leadership for organising the programme within two months of assuming office.

Also speaking, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the American Open University, Nigeria, Dr Seyi Akanbi, said artificial intelligence is only as ethical as the people who use it.

He identified misinformation, disinformation and propaganda as growing threats to journalism and urged journalists to deploy artificial intelligence in ways that protect content integrity, social responsibility and professional standards.

Akanbi encouraged journalists to partner with technology companies such as Google to develop fact-checking platforms that improve accuracy and rebuild public trust.

Meiza Nigeria