As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in media production, the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) is calling on journalists to ensure technology does not replace ethical standards.
MCK CEO David Omwoyo emphasized that while AI can speed up work and handle large volumes of data, it must not compromise verification, attribution, or the principle of “do no harm.”
Speaking on Radio Generation, Omwoyo described AI as “advanced, automatic,” highlighting that many people have been using it without even realizing it.
He noted that the technology is now a key part of media operations, from predictive text and automated reminders to script translation and instant analysis of large datasets.
“We use AI more than we think,” Omwoyo said on Wednesday, pointing out that tools can quickly analyze archives, track mentions, translate scripts, and generate contextualized stories within minutes. Tasks that previously required entire teams, such as translating content, can now be performed by machines. “It does what you would have done. It does it faster, maybe more accurately,” he explained.
Despite AI’s efficiency, Omwoyo warned that the technology cannot be allowed to override ethical journalism. Citing the “law of the horse” principle in internet governance, he argued that emerging technologies do not require entirely new moral rules but must follow established ethical frameworks.
“The ethical principles that guide journalism must come further into this technologically facilitated and artificial intelligence media work,” he said. “You must verify, ensure human oversight, you must attribute and do not clone voices, because now technology allows you to do it.”
He stressed that journalists should not use AI for actions they would consider unethical in traditional reporting. “Don’t use technology for what you wouldn’t do ethically,” he said. When AI is used to produce animations or synthetic audio, the output should be clearly disclosed. “You can say animation created by AI, this is not a real voice and all that.”
Omwoyo reiterated that the core responsibility of journalists remains unchanged: “Seek the truth and tell it, do no harm.” He underlined the importance of verification and accountability in AI-assisted content creation.
While acknowledging AI’s ability to handle vast information quickly, Omwoyo insisted that machines cannot replace human judgment and empathy. “Technologies can do anything but finally a human being must give it the empathy, the human touch and all that which machines do not have,” he said.
He concluded by calling for “absolute final human oversight” in AI-driven journalism, cautioning that without it, media organizations risk losing context, sensitivity, and public trust in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
