Summit on AI and the media: UNESCO in partnership with the AUB calls on the African media to seize technological advances

The last decade has been marked by rapid evolution of technology and new scientific approaches in human interactions. While the advent of the digital age brings advanced development to evolving societies, UNESCO’s priorities in the field, are rooted in the development of technologies with solid ethical safeguards while promoting its role in the right of access to information. These ethics in the integration and use of AI are emphasized in UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence adopted by UNESCO's 193 Member States in 2021.

In line with these priorities, in March 2024, UNESCO supported the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB-UAR) in the organization of a three-day Summit on Artificial Intelligence and the Media which took place in Yaounde from 04 to March 06, 2024.

The Summit brought together over 800 participants including tv and radio station managers, African media visionaries, leading scientists and researchers, policymakers, and related stakeholders. The summit was attended by 43 African countries and eight countries from Europe, Asia and America, with an attendance of nearly 1400 people per session.

The main purpose was to address fundamental concerns arising from the emergence of artificial intelligence within African media organizations. More importantly, it aimed to envision political, economic, and cognitive methodologies for the integration of AI in the African evolutionary context.

UNESCO’s participation scored a milestone in achieving these objectives, with a panel discussion on the subject of artificial intelligence in the service of Africa and AI governance in relation to education, science, culture and communications.

The panel which was chaired by UNESCO representative in Gabon and to ECCAS, Mr Eric Voli Bi, had five experts in panel including UNESCO’s regional advisors in Education (Mr. Hilaire Mputu), Natural Sciences (Mr. Diawara Bandiougou), and Communication (Mr. Nejib Mokni). The panel also had significant participants namely the Minister of Communication and medias for Gabon, Mrs. Laurence Ndong and Dr Esther OLEMBE, Director of the Cameroon National Archives in Cameroon’s Ministry of Culture

The enriching discussions were marked by important research results and lessons learnt from Gabon’s experience in National governance of AI. In conclusion to her exposé, the Gabonese Minister stated that "to speak of 'AI and the media' is to focus on changing the work and responsibility of journalists, their role in informing the public and demystifying AI users. The challenges are not only professional, but also cultural, ethical, political and social.”

While Dr Esther OLEMBE shared some of Cameroon’s lessons learnt in the transformative impact of AI Documentary Heritage Management, she said:

“Artificial Intelligence provides opportunities to set up tools for cooperation between African states, by putting in place devices that will enable them to communicate securely with each other.”

UNESCO regional advisors of Central Africa shared UNESCO’s regional research results and experiences in the opportunities of artificial intelligence and journalism, open sciences, and the opportunities and challenges of teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence.

Representing the Director of UNESCO Yaoundé regional office, Mr. Eric Voli Bi recalled UNESCO's commitment in this field, with the example of the "Train My Generation - Gabon 5000" initiative, under which 5,000 young Gabonese were trained in information and communication technologies thanks to a collaboration between UNESCO and Airtel.

In conclusion, Mr. Eric Voli Bi reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to accompany member states in its mission put in place strategies and laws that promote the supervision and use of artificial intelligence.

Take a look back at this memorable event in this video.