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Journalists and CSOs Empowered with Critical AI and Data Security Skills At Training Organised By MTN
MTN Ghana hosted an intensive training session on Monday, August 24, 2026, aimed at equipping journalists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with the skills needed to navigate the opportunities, risks, and data security challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Led by industry leaders including Samuel Adranyi (CEO, Afrilogic Solutions), Kwame Manu (Senior Manager, Digital Analytics and Monetisation), and Nehemia Yelu Affigah (CEO, HatuaTech), the workshop provided practical insights into leveraging AI for research, advocacy, and reporting while maintaining professional ethics.
Data Strategy:
Facilitators stressed a zero-trust rule for free AI tools: “Nothing confidential goes into an AI tool.”
Organisations handling sensitive data were advised to upgrade to enterprise paid tiers to ensure better privacy controls.
AI Mechanics:
Participants explored an “AI Reality Check,” learning that AI tools operate primarily as pattern-based prediction engines.
Because these models predict outputs based on training data, their results require constant evaluation.
Mitigation:
The session highlighted how AI can generate convincing yet completely false or fabricated information (“hallucinations”).
Independent fact-checking remains mandatory before publishing or making policy decisions.
Ethics:
While AI accelerates research and content creation, facilitators cautioned that speed should never replace journalistic integrity, critical thinking, or human oversight.
Practical Application
Through hands-on demonstrations using tools like ChatGPT, attendees learned how to refine prompts, conduct complex research, and streamline analytical tasks effectively.
The overarching message of the training emphasized that AI is designed to augment human expertise, not replace critical judgment, ethical responsibility, or rigorous verification.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,Kumasi
