Bandwagon of artificial intelligence use among media houses in Oyo State, Nigeria

The wave of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming all spheres of human life. AI is continuously expanding, shaping the future of humanity and raising important ethical and societal implications. Hence, this study explored the bandwagon effect of AI and its use among media houses in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted the ethnographic qualitative design, chiefly utilising focus group discussion (FGD to gain rich empirical insight into the phenomenon. Twelve media professionals were purposively sampled for the FGD. The study found that AI is becoming more prevalent in Oyo State, Nigerian media houses for tasks like generating content, analysing data, verifying facts, and managing social media. The study concluded that AI is revolutionising the media industry and can serve as a competitive edge for media houses that embrace it, bearing in mind that responsible use, ethical considerations, and technical challenges are crucial for harnessing AI’s potential.