The deployment and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools across all sectors should be hinged on harnessing local innovation to ensure the preservation of Zimbabwe's identity and cultural values, a senior government official has said.
Speaking at a belated World Press Freedom Day commemorative event in Harare last week, Richard Mahomva, the director of international communication in the Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services said while Zimbabwe must embrace the use of generative AI tools, the government's focus and investment is focused on ensuring that emerging technologies are localised.
"The use of AI tools must be in a way that ensures compatibility of these tools with the national values and aspirations," Mahomva said.
"Local journalism, as an example, must be able to embrace machine learning tools to ensure the widespread use of all of our 16 local languages."
Mahomva said that the government's strategic focus in embracing AI is premised on leveraging on the economic benefits associated with actively participating in the digital economy.
"A strategic pillar of the media policy is to ensure a vibrant and sustainable media. The use of AI tools in newsrooms is among a host of interventions that the Ministry is proposing to support the feasibility of the media sector," he said.
Speaking at the same occasion the Swedish embassy in Zimbabwe deputy head of mission Dag Sundelein urged the ethical use of AI.
"AI presents opportunities for enhancing the work of journalists. It is important for the media to use these AI tools ethically," he said.
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The International Media Support (IMS) representative Simbiso Marimbe weighed in by saying generative AI is a game changer for journalists who could use AI in investigative journalism, data journalism and fact checking.
Nigel Nyamutumbu, the coordinator of the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) who organised the event said that the future of journalism is going to be dependent on how AI is embraced at an individual and institutional level.
"MAZ has been leading these policy dialogues to ensure that the Zimbabwean media can locate themselves on where the country is in so far as embracing the opportunities that AI presents for the sector," he said.
"The objectives of these platforms for engagement are to curate policy and practice action oriented recommendations whose implementation can be monitored."
Nyamutumbu said that MAZ is lining up future such engagements as part of capacity building interventions that assist the media navigate the complexities of AI.
"The idea is not for these engagements to take place in isolation but to be a part of a broader intervention that contributes to the strategic priorities of the media sector,” he said.
“Among these priorities being media sustainability, which we need to continue to brainstorm on the way forward for the Zimbabwean media."
Nyamutumbu said MAZ has partnered with the World Association of News Publishers WAN IFRA Women in News in presenting a follow up policy dialogue on media sustainability.
