From Nairobi to Lagos to Johannesburg, newsrooms across Africa are confronting the same reality: audiences are moving faster than our traditional workflows can handle. Breaking stories are no longer bound by print deadlines or scheduled bulletins; they unfold minute by minute on smartphones. In this new environment, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are not optional extras — they are the tools that will determine whether African media stays relevant or fades into the background noise.We’re already seeing this shift. AI-driven analytics can flag trending topics before they peak. Automated social publishing can push breaking updates across multiple platforms simultaneously. Voice-to-text and machine translation can turn interviews into publishable content within minutes, freeing journalists to do deeper reporting. For media houses that have always had to “do more with less,” these are game-changing efficiencies.Yet there is a growing unease — and rightly so. The fear is that in chasing speed and cost savings, we risk outsourcing our editorial judgment and moral compass to algorithms. The soul of African journalism has always been its commitment to truth, context and public service. Those values cannot be automated. They must be guarded, even as we innovate.The challenge, then, is not whether to adopt AI but how. First, African media must develop clear editorial policies on the use of AI. Machines can help draft headlines, but a human editor should decide if they are accurate, ethical and culturally sensitive. Automated transcription can accelerate newsroom output, but the journalist must still verify facts and nuance. Transparency with audiences is also essential: if AI has been used to produce or enhance content, that should be disclosed.Second, we need to invest in training. AI is not a plug-and-play replacement for journalists; it’s a new literacy. Reporters, editors, producers and even sales teams need to understand what these tools can do — and what they cannot. This is especially important in diverse societies where an algorithm trained on one language or dialect may misinterpret another, amplifying bias instead of reducing it.Third, collaboration matters. African media houses should pool resources to negotiate access to ethical AI tools, share best practices, and even co-create datasets that reflect our languages and realities. We shouldn’t be passive consumers of imported technology; we should shape it to serve African stories.Finally, we must remember that technology cannot replace trust. Audiences don’t tune in to Capital FM, Nation or NewsDay merely for speed; they come for credibility, insight and connection. AI can crunch data but it cannot feel the weight of a mother’s testimony in a refugee camp, or grasp the symbolism of a protest song on the streets of Nairobi. Those are human judgments, built on lived experience, empathy and editorial courage.We also must be mindful of the “black box” nature of many AI systems. Without transparency, there’s a risk of hidden biases creeping into automated news production — from whose stories are prioritised, to which images or headlines are chosen. African media cannot afford to replicate the inequities of global tech. We need tools and standards that reflect our own cultures, ethics and languages.The promise of AI and automation extends beyond the daily news cycle. In investigative journalism, machine learning can help sift through massive data leaks, identify patterns of corruption, or map environmental destruction. In business operations, chatbots and automated subscription systems can improve customer service and revenue collection. In education, partnerships between media houses and universities can create training labs where young journalists experiment with AI in a controlled environment, learning both its power and its pitfalls.Crucially, AI can also democratise access. Imagine newsrooms producing stories in multiple African languages simultaneously, or using voice synthesis to reach audiences with disabilities. These innovations would broaden inclusion — but only if editorial values lead the way.This is the balance we must strike. Embrace AI for what it is — a powerful lever for efficiency, multilingual reach and data-driven insight. But never surrender the core of our craft: verification, accountability and a deep understanding of our communities. If we get it right, African media can leapfrog old bottlenecks and deliver faster, richer journalism without sacrificing its integrity.The future of our industry will not be decided by algorithms alone, but by how we, as editors and journalists, choose to use them. In the end, technology should serve the story — not the other way round. If African media leads with ethics, transparency and collaboration, we can harness AI not as a threat but as an ally, telling our continent’s stories more powerfully than ever.The author is the Editorial Director at Capital FM Kenya. He has two decades of experience in print and electronic journalism and is passionate about emerging technologies and strengthening an independent media.