Media practitioners, especially journalists, have been charged to mount pressure on the Federal Government to ensure inclusivity in the adoption and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in news reporting.

At a Training for Journalists on Effective Reporting on AI organised in Yaba, Lagos, by Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRCAI), comprising Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), reporters were advised to report scientific findings on AI and encourage action that will not make Nigerians mere consumers of AI ideas from the West, but also co-creators of AI tools and information.

According to the Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Philip Jakpor, global trends in the evolving AI world have shown that indigenous cultures and religions are being eroded because AI systems rely on large datasets that promote Western viewpoints and nuanced cultural narratives.

He lamented Africa’s backwardness in the race, largely due to limited infrastructure, low local representation in data, and high implementation costs.

In his welcome address, the General Secretary of CCN, Rev Dr Evans Onyemara, said the AI project was dear to CCN; hence, it had been working to train religious leaders in AI. It added that the Muslims were not left behind, as it was working with JNI.

In his overview of the national AI strategy 2024 (with a focus on Pillar 4.0) concerning religion in Nigeria, the Director of the CCN-Institute of Church and Society, Ibadan, Oyo State, Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, noted that they were working with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He said they had told NITDA and other relevant agencies to provide information on the technical robustness of the country for AI adoption.

Affirming how powerful China has become in the field of AI, he said: “If China wants to puncture our faith, it will just flood our systems with AI.”

International journalist, Vanessa Adie, in her Quick Guide to AI Tools, noted that AI is good but can be dangerous if care is not taken.

Veteran journalist, Tope Oluwaleye, took the journalists through what they are supposed to know, but in the AI and religion aspect.

According to him, religion is inseparable from daily life in many communities; hence, it is important not to overlook its influences.