Bishop Odetoyinbo tasks media practitioners on positive use of AI for quality reporting
The Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAMPAN) of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta recently marked this year’s 58th edition of World Communications Day at the cathedral of SS Peter and Paul, Itesi, Adatan Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State, as the Catholic Bishop in the Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo enjoined media practitioners to be on top of their games in accurate news reporting.
The annual event started with a thanksgiving Mass celebrated by His lordship, Bishop Most Revd Dr Peter Odetoyinbo. His sermon centered on this year’s theme, “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: Towards a Fully Human Communication.”
He reminded Catholic media practitioners of the mandate from the Holy Father and church, urging them to make good use of technological advancement of today’s world of artificial intelligence to propagate man’s co-creating nature without losing the wisdom of the heart.
Bishop Odetoyinbo, commemorated Catholic media men and women in the diocese for their works and reemphasized the importance of the media in the society in building a fully human communication and the .
Immediately after the Mass, a symposium was held.
It was moderated by Mr Oluwafemi Adelodun, an IT expert and a principal officer of the West African Examination Council WAEC, Lagos Head Office who defined Artificial Intelligence as a development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally performed by humans.
He asserted parents moral obligation and responsibility to their children’s upbringing, describing it as the wisdom of the heart in a world where people are interested in short cuts to success and solving problems.
The director of Social Communication of the diocese, Rev Fr Greg Fadele, dissected the message of the Holy Father, the Pope on this year’s theme, saying the church welcomes AI as part of the tools for acculturation.
He gave an example of the Church’s Magisterium AI, an app that provides answers to any question about the Catholic Church.
He concluded by saying that man should not reduce humans to data and urged media practitioners to uphold the truth at all times. Avoid the exaggerated reduction of human thinking/intelligence to mechanical process. Also, he advised against counter disinformation, uphold the Truth and act as Professionals.
Lastly, he admonished journalists not be imprisoned in an “Echo Chamber” (believing only the opinions that coincide with one’s own)
Mr Peter Arabomen, an IT expert with Fidelity explained that Artificial Intelligence is a programme designed to perform specific tasks, noting that anything outside the written programme was impossible for it.
He said AI is classified into three main types, Narrow AI, General AI, and Super AI. “Each type of AI has its unique characteristics, capabilities, and limitations,” Arabomen explained.
He concluded his speech with the answers a leading AI expert, Kai Fu Lee, gave when asked when artificial intelligence would be completely perfect like humans.
Arabomen said, “Maybe in the next ten to fifteen years, maybe never.”
The secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Ogun State chapter, Comrade Bunmi Adigun wondered why journalists and media men were very few at the event, which he described as being “so packed with immense sources of information.”
Dr Malaolu, owner of Rock FM, commended the diocese for a fantastic outing, saying that the event was one he looks forward to every year.
At the end of the symposium, Chief John Ajayi thanked the Bishop, Most Revd Dr Peter Odetoyinbo for honouring CAMPAN with his presence amiss his busy schedule. He also thanked all the invited speakers and guests for making this year’s event a resounding success. He did not leave the Director of Social Communication of Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta out for organizing yet another wonderful event. Noting that the His Lordship Odetoyinbo emphasized that the importance of the message Pope as the centre of the year’s cerebration.
Finally, Ajayi promised the Diocesan President of the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria to foster a cordial relationship between Rock City FM and the organisaiton.
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