News media form the general public understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and influence how society interacts with them Technologies. For many individuals, especially for many who don’t have any longer sought over AI elsewhere, media platforms are a primary school Source of data.
This is especially essential in Africa, where historical and socio -economic contexts akin to colonial laws and unequal technologies are transmitted, as AI is known and adopted.
As a result, the best way through which African news media represent and frame African news media is when designing a wider public discourse.
To explore As African media report on AI, we as media researchers analyzed 724 news articles about AI from 26 English -language African countries. These were published between June 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. We examined ourselves Hype around Ai – Exaggerated excitement, bloated expectations and sometimes sensationalized claims about what artificial intelligence could cause.
The hype is usually compared with the concept of something that’s known as AI winter. This is a time of reduced interest and investing in AI technologies. It is a cyclical trend that has been seen since Ai was founded In the Fifties. It manifests itself in exaggerated language, excessively optimistic or pessimistic views and significant Investments in AI.
Our study examined how AI was shown in African news media – whether exaggerated or excessively optimistic. Media representation can influence politics, investment and public acceptance of recent technologies. For example in Germany it was found This positive media reporting on various fuels modified the general public perception positively.
Our results show a transparent pattern in the position and authorship of articles. The commonest placement of AI articles (36%) was within the technology section of the publications, followed by General News (24%) after which within the business area (19%). This shows that these publications are mainly about AI as a practical instrument that may solve problems and create economic possibilities. They underline their usefulness and potential benefits as an alternative of examining their social or ethical effects. The discussion of topics akin to employment, inequality and cultural values was largely missing.
African journalists, news titles and content manufacturers contributed around 29% of the articles. But in Western news units (21%) and journalists (5%) had a big influence. Like global news agencies AFP (15%) and Reuters (6%) along with Tech news providers akin to Research shooters (13%) often wrote these pieces.
Only a small a part of the articles (4%) was written by researchers. This indicates that the voices of those that dealt directly in AI research and development in Africa were steamed. However, they’re crucial for a locally informed understanding.
To summarize the patterns:
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Practical benefits of AI are highlighted on the expense of social and ethical conversations
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African perspectives, because the AI needs to be developed and used, are sometimes missed in favor of a western, business -oriented perspective.
Delivered
Which words are used to explain AI?
We also analyzed probably the most often used words. The frequent mention of Google, Microsoft and Chatgpt reflects the dominance of western tech giants within the AI landscape. Words like “he” and “his” rails to be disturbing, while female pronouns weren’t one in every of the highest words. This indicates an inclination towards male perspectives.
The lack of terms akin to Africa, African and African countries indicate that the duvet rarely looks at certain African needs and challenges. This overlooks Africa's growth AI ecosystem.
Delivered
We found three foremost topics across the AI in African News:
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The transformative potential of AI, for instance for agriculture, administration, healthcare and economic growth
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Concerns regarding the potential negative effects of the AI, the unknown and disturbing nature of the AI,
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Articles that offered a more balanced view and useful information to demystify and explain developments.
What does this mean for Africa
The dominance of the technical and economic framework, often through western voices, can control political decisions for admission without adequate local consultation or ethical supervision. This can result in guidelines that reflect more global hype than in community -specific needs.
The overemphasis of “tools” and “solutions” risks in regards to the broader effects of AI on employment, inequality and cultural values.
The lack of afroentric terms in reporting contributes to a symbolic exclusion through which Africa's specific needs and opportunities are excluded.
On a more integrative AI narrative
In order to advertise a more responsible and native relevant AI journalism in Africa, African journalists and researchers needs to be authorized to report and analyze this technology.
The range of voices needs to be found on local researchers, political decision -makers and communities with the intention to experience local researchers, political decision -makers and communities first -hand. This signifies that reporting on the economic potential of AI with sustainable attention to their social, cultural and ethical effects. African media can resist a dimensional hype and have a more integrative and socially responsible conversation about AI.
