MISA advocates Digital Foundations Before Embracing AI In Journalism

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming journalism globally, but Zimbabwe risks being left behind without a strong digital infrastructure to support it.

Speaking during World Press Freedom Day 2025, MISA Executive Director Tabani Moyo stressed the urgent need for Zimbabwe to adopt a digital transformation strategy before integrating AI into media systems. He emphasized that AI offers both opportunities and risks that must be managed within local contexts.

“AI’s impact on humanity is now a reality, it’s no longer a subject of debate. But it is data-hungry, and most of our data as African communities is still offline. Without digitizing first, we can’t expect AI to understand or enhance our realities,” said Moyo.

By Ruvarashe Gora

Moyo explained that while AI can boost newsroom efficiencies through automation and data analysis, it also comes with ethical challenges. Opaque algorithms may entrench biases, restrict access to credible information, and limit journalists’ ability to report freely on social issues.

The African Union has already developed an AI strategy, and the UN’s Global Digital Compact provides a framework for responsible digital development. Moyo urged Zimbabwe to draw from these resources and craft a national regulatory framework that fits its realities.

“We are concerned with the dual impact of AI, its benefits and its challenges. Zimbabwe must not sleepwalk into this revolution. We need bold policy steps, guided by our own context,” he added.

MISA has developed three key documents to support this transition, a legal and policy framework, a broader development strategy, and an implementation matrix. These tools, Moyo said, will help guide responsible AI adoption while protecting press freedom and democratic values.

He also warned that many African newsrooms are operating with licensed foreign technologies that do not reflect local cultures, languages, or ethics, perpetuating what he termed “digital coloniality.”

Despite these challenges, Moyo said the opportunity to leapfrog through AI remains possible, if countries like Zimbabwe prioritize digital transformation and invest in local data systems. As AI reshapes the media landscape, MISA continues to push for inclusive, ethical, and locally grounded approaches to technology in journalism.