CHATGPT and the Global South: how are journalists in sub-Saharan Africa engaging with generative AI?

Abstract

Study purpose This study explores the usage of generative AI tools by journalists in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on issues of misinformation, plagiarism, stereotypes, and the unrepresentative nature of online databases. The research places this inquiry within broader debates of whether the Global South can effectively and fairly use AI tools. Design/methodology/approach This study involved conducting interviews with journalists from five sub-Saharan African countries, namely Congo, DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The objective of the study was to ascertain how journalists in sub-Saharan Africa are utilizing ChatGPT. It is worth noting that this study is a component of an ongoing project on AI that commenced on September 19, 2022, shortly after receiving IRB approval. The ChatGPT project was initiated in January 2023 after discovering that our participants were already employing the Chatbot. Findings The study highlights that generative AI like ChatGPT operates on a limited and non-representative African corpus, making it selective on what is considered civil and uncivil language, thus limiting its effectiveness in the region. However, the study also suggests that in the absence of representative corpora, generative AI tools like ChatGPT present an opportunity for effective journalism practice in that journalists cannot completely rely on the tools. Practical implications The study emphasizes the need for human agencies to provide relevant information to the tool, thus contributing to a global database, and to consider diverse data sources when designing AI tools to minimize biases and stereotypes. Social implications The social implications of the study suggest that AI tools have both positive and negative effects on journalism in developing countries, and there is a need to promote the responsible and ethical use of AI tools in journalism and beyond. Originality/value The original value of the study lies in shedding light on the challenges and opportunities associated with AI in journalism, promoting postcolonial thinking, and emphasizing the importance of diverse data sources and human agency in the development and use of AI tools.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Brazilian Digital Journalism: Historical Context and Innovative Processes

“…Notably, ChatGPT tends to portray African countries and their leaders in a negative spotlight, with questions about them often concluding with anecdotes that connote poverty, disease, or corruption. (Gondwe 2023) Studying how this is reproduced in the Brazilian context, similar to the African context, in the face of Global North power, but with its idiosyncrasies, is interesting for the overall context of our research. Nonetheless, the results of this research will be analyzed at the end of this article.…”

“…Other tools of the same type, such as Google's Bard, were not yet available in Brazil at the time of the research. In addition, Gondwe (2023) interviewed Sub-Saharan African journalists about their uses of ChatGPT and discovered that it has both positive and negative effects on journalism in developing countries. If there is a need to promote the responsible and ethical use of AI tools in journalism, it is also necessary to keep in mind that the chatbot consistently produces expected and stereotypical outputs, as: "[.…”

How Generative AI Is Transforming Journalism: Development, Application and Ethics

“…More specifically, GAI leverages sophisticated algorithms to sift through extensive datasets, discern pertinent data points, and deliver valuable insights. Through automated data processing, visualization tools, and interpretive capabilities, GAI unveils previously obscured layers of information, enhancing the efficiency and depth of information-gathering processes (Diakopoulos 2019;Gondwe 2023). Moreover, GAI can analyze past data, forecast trends for complex events and prepare journalists for unforeseen events.…”

“…The second is to examine how GAI is used in journalism of specific countries or regions. For example, Gondwe (2023) explored how journalists in sub-Saharan Africa use GAI, while Pinto (2024) investigated GAI in the Brazilian news industry. The third is reflecting on ethical challenges and calling for upholding journalistic professionalism and its core values.…”

Is ChatGPT a friend or foe in the war on misinformation?

“…De Angelis, Baglivo, Arzilli et al, 2023;Ghosh & Caliskan, 2023;Lee, Kim & Lim, 2023). A small number of Global South studies that either explicitly explore or tangentially refer to ChatGPT are those by Hasnain (2023), Qadir (2023), Gondwe (2023), andMhlanga (2023). The last two reflect African contexts, with Gondwe (2023) examining issues such as misinformation and stereotypes in the context of ChatGPT's deployment by journalists in sub-Saharan Africa and Mhlanga referring to false information as one ethical issue that needs to be addressed in South Africa.…”