At public lecture, Omatseye calls for regulation of AI’s influence on media

The Chairman of Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Dr. Sam Omatseye, has called for stronger legal frameworks and ethical standards to tackle unfiltered news and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the media.

Omatseye made the call at a public discourse series organised by Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos.

Delivering a lecture titled, ‘Information in an age of flux’, the journalist explored technological advancement and its impact on media and communication.

In his lecture, Omatseye traced the progress in technology, especially in communication and how it has changed society through improved connectivity and instant access to information.

He, however, identified key challenges that have dogged the advancement of technology, which include misinformation, lack of accountability, erosion of critical thinking, and the rising blurred lines between reality and the virtual space, with the arrival of AI.

Omatseye, who noted that the media is a reflection of this new reality, said the only way to handle this is caution and a set of commonsense laws.

Calling for the establishment of a new media ombudsman to hold individuals and platforms accountable for the spread of false information, he said many who steal news from other media houses and those who distort them and publish outright lies ought to be pursued and prosecuted.

Omatseye restated the need for finding balnce between freedom and law in the changing digital landscape, adding that a sense of retributive justice can restra you iiy.

Vice Chancellor, Trinity km l you kindly, Prof. Clement Kolawole, said the lecture embodies the institution’s commitment to intellectual diceyscourse, critical thinking, and community engagement.

While stressing the need for regulation in the social media landscape, Kolawole pointed at its potential dangers.

The VC warned that there are serious consequences for unchecked flow of misinformation, stating that people need to be careful how they access and react to information, particularly, when the source is not established.

A member of the university’s governing council, BayoKolade, said the advent of new media calls for strategic thinking now that social media and AI have changed the way and manner information is consumed.