By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Farooq Kperogi, a Nigerian-American Professor and newspaper columnist, has called on journalists not to allow Artificial Intelligence (AI) to erase their uniqueness, humanity and individuality.

The media scholar gave the advice during an interactive session with the Editorial Management Board of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

“The biggest challenge in the practice of journalism now, is the impact of Artificial Intelligence.

“During our days in school, some of us had to memorise the dictionary, punctuations and many others. So, I write in a unique style, but now, ChatGPT can do that more flawlessly.

“However, I oppose using AI to write news, because it erases our individuality; if everyone writes same way, then, there will be a problem.

“I have developed a style of writing over the years. So, it will be too late for me to start using AI to write story.

“Your style is unique to you, it is your signature, but AI is threatening to erase all of that,” he said.

According to him, AI imposes American style of writing, which he describes as “linguistic imperialism”.

Kperogi posited that imperialism is unacceptable, because what makes humanity unique is its uniqueness and diversity, culminating to a popular saying, “variety is the spice of life”.

“By and large, while ChatGPT helps for interpretation of data, information and other tasks, we should still maintain our uniqueness.

“Our writing bears the weight of our identity, social historic experiences, and we don’t want to wipe out that in the name of convenience.

“As much as we should use AI tools to improve our works, we should be self- conscious of the damaging long term effects,” he said.

The Don, however, dismissed the fear that AI would take over the jobs of media practitioners and lead to job loss.

He said, if deployed with caution, AI will not take over jobs, but enhance them, because it will be deployed as a tool to support judgment and uniqueness, not as a replacement.

Kperogi commended NAN for maintaining neutrality in its reportage in spite of the fact that the agency is funded by the Federal Government.

“What makes NAN stand out is the neutrality of your tone, independence of your voice, and the objectivity that you always display in your reportage.

“AI models have no capacity to make you renounce that; so let’s resist it and be ourselves,” Kperogi stressed.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali M. Ali commended the don for the validation of NAN, adding that his relationship with Kperogi spans three decades.

Ali said he has always cautioned journalists on the use of AI.

“AI reflects your own personality; the smarter you are, the better you use AI. You have to be mindful of your linguistic identity.

“We all have our uniqueness and we should not allow AI to take that away from us,” Ali said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi