Ghana: Journalists Urged To Use AI Responsibly In Nuclear Reporting

A communication expert at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Dr Charles Nii Ayiku Ayiku, has urged journalists to use artificial intelligence as a reporting assistant rather than a substitute for human judgment, source protection and independent verification.

Ayiku, a General Manager for External Communications at ECG, made the call during a two-day virtual workshop for media professionals organised by Nuclear Power Ghana on the theme, “Responsible AI in Journalism: Strengthening Speed, Accuracy, Ethics and Risk Communications in the Nuclear Landscape.”

He said AI could improve the speed and efficiency of journalism through research, data analysis, transcription and misinformation monitoring, but journalists should independently verify every consequential claim before publication.

“AI output is a hypothesis, not a source,” he said.

Ayiku cautioned journalists against relying on AI-generated information for nuclear safety claims, radiation exposure levels, contamination incidents and other technical matters that could have serious public-safety implications.

Errors in nuclear reporting could mislead the public, undermine confidence in legitimate energy programmes and weaken trust in the media, he said.

He urged journalists to consult qualified scientists, regulators, official documents and other authoritative sources before publishing information generated or summarised by AI.

Ayiku also advised media professionals not to enter confidential, sensitive or source-identifying information into public AI platforms.

Journalists remained responsible for protecting sources, assessing evidence and ensuring that published reports were accurate, fair and properly contextualised, he said.

The workshop comes as Ghana considers the potential role of nuclear power in meeting its long-term electricity needs and supporting industrialisation and economic transformation.

Accurate and independent journalism will be important in examining the programme’s costs, financing arrangements, safety systems, regulatory framework and potential economic benefits.

Nuclear power could contribute to electricity supply reliability, support industrial growth and reduce pressure on Ghana’s existing generation system. Public understanding of the technology, however, will depend partly on the quality of information provided by the media.

“The question is no longer whether journalists will use AI,” Ayiku said.

“The question is whether they will use it responsibly enough to preserve accuracy, accountability and public trust.”