AI and Misinformation Reshape Science Journalism in Africa

In November 2024, Africa’s fact-checking community gathered in Accra, Ghana for the Africa Facts Summit, addressing the pressing theme of “Countering Misinformation and Disinformation in Africa: Challenges, Innovations and Strategic Responses.” While primarily focused on fact-checking, the summit highlighted critical implications for science journalism across the continent.

The intersection of artificial intelligence, fact-checking, and science reporting has created a new landscape where African journalists face both unprecedented challenges and promising opportunities. This convergence comes at a time when accurate science reporting is increasingly vital for public health, climate policy, and technological development across African nations.

“Science journalism in Africa has traditionally faced significant hurdles,” notes one participant. “Limited resources, contextual barriers, language diversity, and infrastructure constraints have long complicated the field. Now, with AI’s rapid advancement, these challenges are magnified – but so are the possibilities.”

For newsrooms across Ghana and neighboring countries, AI tools present tangible benefits. They can analyze vast datasets of climate statistics, health information, and environmental monitoring that would overwhelm human capacity. Recent studies from Ghanaian newsrooms indicate a gradual, if uneven, adoption of AI technologies to improve reporting efficiency.

The technology also enables innovative storytelling formats. Interactive visualizations, multimedia presentations, and automated translation services help science journalists reach wider audiences across Africa’s linguistically diverse regions. As one summit attendee explained, “We’re seeing AI break down language barriers that have historically limited the reach of critical science information.”

However, the risks are substantial. AI systems can generate deepfakes, falsified scientific claims, and manipulated visuals that appear legitimate but contain dangerous misinformation. A survey presented at the summit revealed widespread concern among journalists about AI producing inaccurate narratives, particularly those lacking local context.

The digital divide poses another significant challenge. “Many African newsrooms simply lack the infrastructure, training, or resources to effectively integrate AI tools,” said a researcher who studied technology adoption in Ghanaian and South African media organizations. “Cost barriers, inadequate data access, and poor internet connectivity mean benefits are unevenly distributed.”

The “Accra Declaration on Information Integrity and Resilience” issued at the summit calls for developing robust digital infrastructure, expanding offline outreach, fostering partnerships with technology platforms, and utilizing AI-driven tools to build resilience against misinformation.

For science journalists specifically, the summit highlighted the critical importance of collaboration across disciplines. Working with scientists, data analysts, fact-checkers, and technologists has become essential to navigating the complex information landscape.

Localization emerged as another crucial theme. AI tools developed in Western contexts often lack relevance in African settings. As one study from Ghana and South Africa noted: “If it’s not an international story, and it’s a local story, AI will not be able to give you the facts you want in your local contexts.”

This reality underscores the need for science journalists to ensure that data, narratives, and tools reflect local realities, including indigenous languages, cultural frameworks, and regional contexts that might be overlooked by global AI systems.

The stakes for accurate science journalism in Africa are particularly high. During health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, misleading scientific claims can cost lives. In climate adaptation efforts, misrepresented data can lead to poor policy decisions and wasted resources. As African countries increasingly engage with AI technologies in sectors like education, healthcare, and agriculture, journalists play a crucial role in shaping public understanding.

“Science journalism isn’t a niche – it matters deeply for public health, climate resilience, agriculture, technology adoption, and democratic decision-making,” emphasized one speaker. “In Africa’s context, where infrastructure and education face major constraints, trustworthy science journalism has a multiplier effect.”

The summit produced several practical recommendations for science journalists working across the continent. These include investing in specialized training for AI and data journalism, building partnerships with research institutions, maintaining transparency about AI tool usage, focusing on audience literacy, monitoring misinformation trends, prioritizing local language translation, and developing community engagement strategies to build trust.

As Africa deepens its engagement with the fourth industrial revolution, science journalism stands at a critical juncture. The tools and technologies may be evolving rapidly, but the core mission remains unchanged: to inform, explain, question, and serve the public good with accuracy and context that technology alone cannot provide.