On Saturday, November 16, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation, and Women Radio 91.7 FM partnered to host an AI Radio Summit in Nigeria. The event marked the unveiling of Nimi, the country’s first AI-powered radio host.
The CEO of Women Radio 91.7 FM Toun Shonaiya highlighted the station’s dedication to innovation, stating that Nimi represents a significant step forward in broadcasting technology.
She said, “at Women Radio 91.7 FM, we have intentionally embraced this new era with our team, not only welcoming innovation but leading it well done guys, well done ladies. We are leveraging AI in presentation, in voiceovers, news editing, content creation and automation. We are reimagining radio to connect with our audience.And so the objective of the AI Radio Summit, especially as we have seen with Mr. Sam this morning, is to revolutionize the broadcasting industry by harnessing the transformative power of artificial intelligence. This groundbreaking event today will definitely, I mean I can say, is already unlocking the future of radio broadcasting as we explore how AI can enhance audience engagement, how we can streamline audio content production and of course boost operational efficiency through smart editing and data analytics.”
In her submission, Nabilah Usman, the Head of Programs at Radio Now 95.3 FM, emphasised the importance building trusts and connecting with audiences as radio hosts even when deploying AI.
“The broadcast industry in Nigeria is typically, most media houses are plagued by a shortage of staff. So if you have the one person who’s doing, it doesn’t matter where you’re practicing broadcasting, right, I’ve done Kaduna, I’ve done Lagos, I know that a shortage of staff is a big thing. So it really does help you to optimize timing in that way, optimize your deliverables in whatever the multiple roles that you are holding at that point in time happen to be.And I think more than that, in terms of just the new face of it, how AI is, what exactly is it doing in the industry, how is it shaping things, it’s pushing us, it’s the catch-up conversation that Sam mentioned earlier, it’s pushing you to think about what AI gives you, how do you treat that and make sure that it’s up to the standards or the principles or whatever it is the house styles for each of our individual broadcast houses happen to be,” said Nabilah Usman.
Speaking on the summit’s objectives, the Lagos State Governor’s Media Adviser, Gbenga Akosile emphasized the importance of embracing technology for a more progressive and inclusive future in broadcasting.
“The introduction of Nimi AI, Nigeria’s first AI radio host and interactive 3D avatar, (0:08) is a clear testament to the limitless potential of AI in enhancing how we engage with our audiences (0:16) and deliver compelling content. Nimi AI not only represents technological innovation but also (0:23) serves as a role model for what can be achieved when creativity meets technology. The goals of (0:30) this summit resonate deeply with our collective vision as for a more progressive and inclusive (0:37) future in broadcasting.As we may have known, the key objectives of this event to be accomplished (0:44) include but not limited to knowledge sharing, networking among ourselves, best practices in (0:50) industry, and of course capacity building for our colleagues and other professionals who work (0:56) with us on a daily basis to achieve our goals of delivering quality entertainment and unbiased (1:03) information to the people that we serve.”
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