‘Mind the gap’: artificial intelligence and journalism training in Southern African journalism schools.

Abstract

This article examines journalism schools (J-schools) responses to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘disruption’. It critically provides an exploratory examination of how J-Schools in Southern Africa are responding to the AI wave in their journalism curriculums. We answer the question: How are Southern African J-Schools responding to AI in their curriculums? Using a disruptive innovation theoretical lens and through documentary review of university teaching initiatives and accredited journalism curriculums, augmented by in-depth interviews, we demonstrate that AI has opened up new horizons for journalism training in multidimensional ways. However, this has brought challenges, including covert forms of resistance to AI integration by some Journalism educators. Furthermore, resource constraints and the obduracy of J-schools’ curriculums also contribute to the slow introduction of AI in J-schools. We argue that lack of clarity on what AI is and what can be taught about AI within J-Schools, as well as fear of the unknown has led to a trust deficit among journalism instructors. We further argue that with better training and exposure, journalism educators in Southern Africa can leverage AI technologies to strengthen journalism training