Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Executive Masters in Media Leadership and Innovation (EMMLI)

First Supervisor/Advisor

David Aduda

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Abstract

This study provides an analysis of the current state of artificial intelligence adoption in two privately funded print media houses in Uganda: The Observer and Daily Monitor." The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into journalism has been touted as a transformative force with several advantages and disadvantages, including improvements in workflow efficiency, content accuracy, and audience engagement. Despite this potential, the adoption of AI in Ugandan print journalism has been slow, due to challenges such as limited access to technological resources and a lack of AI literacy among journalists. Using the Technology Acceptance Model as a guiding framework, the study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the state of AI adoption in Ugandan print newsrooms. The research focused on three objectives that examined the state of AI adoption, identified key drivers of adoption trends and barriers, and assessed its impact on the newsroom workflow efficiency. The significance of this research is multi-layered, impacting not just news organizations but also journalists, policymakers, technology providers, academia, and the public. The findings offer actionable insights that can guide news organizations in modernizing their production processes. The study contributes to policy AI-related initiatives, assists tech companies in customizing AI solutions for Uganda, and provides academia with a reference for future research on AI's role in journalism. The research methodology incorporated a mixed-methods approach, merging both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The study found that while AI adoption stands at a modest 25 per cent in newsrooms, there is a central understanding of AI's purpose among journalists. However, the adoption of AI technologies remains limited, primarily driven by individual journalists rather than a unified organizational approach. This situation is contrasted with more advanced news organizations globally, where automated journalism powered by AI is more prevalent. The research highlighted the predominant use of AI in tasks such as fact-checking, content generation, and transcription, with a significant majority of journalists relying on free AI tool subscriptions due to financial constraints. Despite regular interaction with AI tools among the respondents, the impact on journalistic quality is varied, underlining the need for increased awareness, training, and institutional support for effective AI utilization in the news industry. A key recommendation is for the leadership of both newsrooms to proactively drive the AI integration process. The implementation of AI in these newsrooms should be guided by the AI Readiness Index (AIRI), a framework developed by AI Singapore (AISG). This framework, as outlined by Grasso (2022), evaluates an organization's preparedness for adopting AI across four pillars and nine dimensions.

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