The University of Eswatini’s Journalism and Mass Communication Department marked World Press Freedom Day with a seminar on Thursday, 16 May, focusing on the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media industry.
Held at the Kwaluseni campus, the seminar centred on the theme Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media. Lecturers, media professionals, and students gathered to discuss how AI is changing journalism—from newsroom operations to digital safety.
Dr Evans, a senior lecturer at UNESWA, urged students to develop skills that will make them indispensable in an automated media landscape. “Whatever can be digitised will be digitised. Whatever can be automated will be automated,” he said.
Sibusiso Mngadi, CEO and co-founder of STRATCOM Media, told participants that understanding modern communication tools is now a core part of the media profession. He encouraged journalists to view AI as a productivity-enhancing assistant, rather than a threat.
Second-year student Ncamiso Xaba presented a project he is developing: an AI tool designed to verify facts and detect fake news. He raised concerns about the dangers of misinformation, particularly in academic settings.
Khulekani Nene, a lecturer from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, called for legal frameworks to address misinformation and stressed the importance of media literacy in fighting false narratives.
Investigative journalist Zwelethu Dlamini from Inhlase said AI tools are becoming vital for digital security, especially for journalists operating in hostile environments.
Dr Mpofu, another lecturer in the department, concluded by encouraging students to explore AI’s entrepreneurial potential, noting that it offers opportunities to build new media ventures beyond traditional journalism.
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