The rise in misinformation could be attributed to courtesy of generative Artificial Intelligence and calls for concern, especially for those generating content in a hurry like journalists. REMMY NWEKE attempts to fact-check some information generated thereof and concluded that the fallacies of GenAI is worrisome.
Preamble:
Recently, I was on transit to the South Eastern part of Nigeria after about 7 hours 49 minutes on road, covering some 474 kilometers from Lagos, when the good news of a colleague’s political appointment was proclaimed and some associates tried to run over themselves in the spirit of ‘breaking news.’ Fortunately within a closed association we needed to issue a formal congratulatory message, of which I was able to generate despite my poor location network-wise; having searched the World Wide Web (www) for the promoted colleague’s profile to no avail. So, the draft message was shared with the colleague from what some associates have used and gathered in the following 24 hours. Some 48 hours later, he was unable to respond to either share an updated profile as requested or looked at the draft on personal chatroom.
By 78 hours after the draft, there was no comment or corrections as to the content and it was distributed among members of the group as the fact. Then, three days later, the colleague reverted to the draft, disclaiming some of the content, including not being a fellow to a professional body, he is simply a member, and never head of politics but head, general desk.
This revelation got me thinking and was wondering how a lot of us could have published same before the draft only to discovered it was sourced through some Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).
What is Generative AI:
A Generative Artificial Intelligence or Generative AI, is a type of AI that creates new content using images, text, music, videos, and audio; using deep learning models, which are algorithms that mimic the human brain's learning and decision-making processes. It starts with a foundation model, which is a large AI model that could perform multiple tasks, then fine-tuned by feeding it labeled data, such as questions and answers, in addition to using human feedback to update itself and improve its accuracy. There are over 2,000 generative AI tools available as of December 31, 2024.
Often, generative AI is used as chatbots, virtual assistants, content creation, risk mitigation and sustainability tools. For instance, using chatbots, Generative AI creates human-like text responses, making chatbots more engaging and capable of longer conversations. Whereas in content creation, the Generative AI could automate the manual process of writing content, simplifying the process of creating content in a particular style.
Presently, among those who seek to always use the generative AI are in content creation and chatbots users. Media professionals could be said to be the most beneficiaries of such a service, nowadays.
Hence, on discovery of the variance in the congratulatory message, I investigated this suspicion among some generative AI, namely Meta AI, Gemini AI and ChatGPT by attempting to ask directly, “Who is Remmy Nweke? Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke? Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke of DigitalSENSE?”
In one hand, Meta AI, is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that is available on Meta's applications (apps) and on the web including WhatsApp. It can answer questions, generate images, and help users learn new things. The bot was developed by Google and claims to serve as a multimodal model that could process text, images, audio, videos, and code.
Gemini AI: Claims to aid writing and brainstorming, inviting those who may need such assistances with summarizing information from Gmail or Google Drive; Image generation and multimodal processing with different types of information, including text, code, audio, images, and videos.
For ChatGPT AI: A free to use, get answers, find inspiration and acclaimed more productive, ChatGPT has the capacity to automate the manual process of writing content, simplifying the process of creating content in a particular style.
Fallacy of Generative AI:
Dictionary.com defined a fallacy as an idea which many people believe to be true, but which is in fact false because it is based on incorrect information or reasoning. Aristotelian De Sophisticis Elenchis was quoted as stating that fallacy is the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning in the construction of an argument that may appear to be well-reasoned if unnoticed; stressing that fallacies may be committed intentionally to manipulate or persuade by deception, unintentionally because of human limitations such as carelessness, cognitive or social biases and ignorance, or potentially due to the limitations of language and understanding of language. These delineations include not only the ignorance of the right reasoning standard but also the ignorance of relevant properties of the context. Just as fallacies are commonly divided into "formal" and "informal."
According to Meta AI: “Remmy Nweke is a Nigerian journalist, media consultant, and author. He has extensive experience in the media industry, having worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist for various Nigerian newspapers and online publications.
# Professional Background
Remmy Nweke has worked with several reputable media organizations in Nigeria, including:
1. ThisDay Newspapers: He served as a reporter, covering various beats, including politics, business, and technology.
2. The Guardian Newspapers: Nweke worked as an editor and columnist, providing insightful analysis on national issues.
3. Nigeria CommunicationsWeek: He was the editor-in-chief of this prominent ICT publication.
# Achievements and Recognition
Remmy Nweke has received several awards and recognition for his contributions to journalism and the media industry:
1. Best ICT Reporter: He won this award at the 2007 Nigerian Media Merit Awards.
2. Best Telecoms Reporter: Nweke received this award at the 2010 Nigerian Media Merit Awards.
3. Fellow of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ): He was conferred with this fellowship in recognition of his dedication and service to the journalism profession.
# Published Works:
Remmy Nweke has authored several books and publications, including:
1. "A Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria": A comprehensive report on the development of the ICT sector in Nigeria.
2. "Nigeria's Digital Economy: Challenges and Opportunities": A book that explores the potential of Nigeria's digital economy and the challenges it faces.
# Education and Training:
Remmy Nweke holds a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has also undergone various training programs and workshops to enhance his journalism and media skills.”
Then as at 01:10 pen ultimate Friday, Meta AI was asked: Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke?
It says "After conducting a search, I found that Remmy Chuks Nweke is a Nigerian technology journalist, author, and media consultant. Here are some key facts about him:
# Professional Background
Remmy Chuks Nweke has extensive experience in technology journalism, having worked with various Nigerian media organizations, including:
1. IT & Telecom Digest: A leading Nigerian technology publication.
2. Nigeria CommunicationsWeek: A prominent ICT publication.
# Achievements and Recognition
Remmy Chuks Nweke has received several awards and recognition for his contributions to technology journalism:
1. Best Technology Reporter: He won this award at the 2013 Nigerian Media Merit Awards.
2. Most Informative Reporter: Nweke received this award at the 2015 Nigerian Technology Awards.
# Published Works:
Remmy Chuks Nweke has authored several books and publications on technology and innovation:
1. "A Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria": A comprehensive report on the development of the ICT sector in Nigeria.
2. "Nigeria's Digital Economy: Challenges and Opportunities": A book that explores the potential of Nigeria's digital economy and the challenges it faces.
# Education and Training:
Remmy Chuks Nweke holds a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
# Online Presence:
Remmy Chuks Nweke is active on social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
So, I then asked: Who is Remmy Nweke of DigitalSENSE?
"Remmy Nweke is a Nigerian journalist, author, and media consultant with over 21 years of experience in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. He is the Lead Consulting Strategist at DigitalSENSE Africa Media, a renowned media organization that publishes multiple award-winning publications, including ITREALMS, NaijaAgroNet, and DigitalSENSE Business News.
"Remmy has held various leadership positions, including Vice President of the African Civil Society on the Information Society (ACSIS), a 175-member continental organization.² He has also served as the Executive Board member of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) and as a member of the Non-Commercial Stakeholders Group (NCSG) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
"As an author, Remmy has written several books, including "A Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria … The Award-winning Series" and has published numerous articles on ICT and internet governance. He is also a public speaker and has presented papers on new media, web 2.0+, and cyber information advisory.
"Remmy's work focuses on promoting internet governance, digital literacy, and ICT development in Africa. He has been recognized for his contributions to the ICT sector, receiving several awards, including the Best ICT Reporter award.
Thereafter, same questions were asked Gemini AI:
"Who is Remmy Nweke; Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke, and Who is Remmy Nweke of DigitalSENSE"
The response after each independent search was: "I do not have enough information about that person to help with your request. I am a large language model, and I am able to communicate and generate human-like text in response to a wide range of prompts and questions, but my knowledge about this person is limited. Is there anything else I can do to help you with this request?”
Noteworthy is that "Gemini can make mistakes, so double-check it" and despite that the three questions got same feedback from Gemini, a pointer emerged to try Gemini Advanced, which did not provide any difference.
ChatGPT: 'Who is Remmy Nweke?'
Remmy Nweke is a Nigerian entrepreneur, digital strategist, and media professional. He is widely recognized for his work in digital marketing, tech entrepreneurship, and content creation. Nweke has contributed to the growth of digital platforms and has built a reputation for promoting digital literacy and the importance of innovation in Nigeria's tech ecosystem.
He is also known for his work with TechCity, an African tech media platform that focuses on digital technology, entrepreneurship, and business trends in Africa. Nweke has been involved in various initiatives that aim to support startups, promote digital skills, and highlight key developments in the African tech scene.
His contributions to digital marketing and the tech space have made him a key figure in shaping the conversation around technology and innovation in Nigeria and across Africa.
ChatGPT: Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke?
Remmy Chuks Nweke is a Nigerian entrepreneur, digital marketing expert, and media professional known for his work in the technology, media, and digital sectors. He is a key figure in the African digital and tech landscape, with particular emphasis on digital marketing, entrepreneurship, and business development.
Nweke is the founder of TechCity, a prominent tech and digital platform that focuses on news, trends, and developments in technology and innovation in Africa. He has been involved in promoting digital transformation and supporting tech entrepreneurs across the continent, helping to bridge the gap between the global tech ecosystem and Africa.
In addition to his work with TechCity, Nweke is recognized for his contributions to digital strategy and content creation. His expertise in leveraging digital tools and platforms for business growth has positioned him as a thought leader in the African tech and digital media space.
Remmy Chuks Nweke is a Nigerian digital media expert, entrepreneur, and technology advocate, best known for his role as the founder and CEO of DigitalSENSE Africa. DigitalSENSE is a leading digital media company in Nigeria that focuses on promoting the growth of digital technology, especially in the areas of Internet governance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the development of the digital economy.
Nweke has played an active role in the advocacy for digital literacy and the importance of internet governance in Africa, organizing events, conferences, and discussions that focus on the regulation, security, and development of the internet and technology infrastructure in the region. He has also been a strong supporter of the evolution of the digital ecosystem, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Through DigitalSENSE, Nweke has contributed to shaping the future of the tech space in Africa, supporting both the private and public sectors in navigating the challenges of digital transformation and internet governance. His work in this area has helped position him as a prominent voice in the African tech and digital media communities.
ChatGPT: Who is Remmy Chuks Nweke of DigitalSENSE?
“Remmy Chuks Nweke is a Nigerian digital media expert, entrepreneur, and technology advocate, best known for his role as the founder and CEO of DigitalSENSE Africa. DigitalSENSE is a leading digital media company in Nigeria that focuses on promoting the growth of digital technology, especially in the areas of Internet governance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the development of the digital economy.
“Nweke has played an active role in the advocacy for digital literacy and the importance of internet governance in Africa, organizing events, conferences, and discussions that focus on the regulation, security, and development of the internet and technology infrastructure in the region. He has also been a strong supporter of the evolution of the digital ecosystem, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
“Through DigitalSENSE, Nweke has contributed to shaping the future of the tech space in Africa, supporting both the private and public sectors in navigating the challenges of digital transformation and internet governance. His work in this area has helped position him as a prominent voice in the African tech and digital media communities.
Fact-checked AI-generated contents crucial:
Checking on the available information shared by Meta AI for instance, showed that:
1. I never worked for any of these four publications; The Guardian Newspapers, ThisDay Newspapers, IT & Telecom Digest and Nigeria CommunicationsWeek.
2. Yes, I won Best Technology Reporter in 2006 at the Nigerian IT & Telecom Awards print category, but not at the 2013 Nigerian Media Merit Awards.
3. Just as I am unaware of “Most Informative Reporter: received at the 2015 Nigerian Technology Awards.”
4. I never authored any book with the title ‘Nigeria’s Digital Economy: Challenges and Opportunities’ but of course has authored several books including ‘A Decade of ICT Reportage in Nigeria: The Award-winning series; Sagacity of Digital Revolution in Nigeria’ to mention but a few.
5. I have a degree in Mass Communications but not from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
6. MetaAI was correct to an extent on 'Who is Remmy Nweke of DigitalSENSE?
7. On Gemini AI, would I say was at least frank enough by declaring from word go of its feedback: "I do not have enough information about that person to help with your request…. in all three questions. Interesting pointer by Gemini is the declaration and noteworthy that "Gemini can make mistakes, so double-check it."
8. While on ChatGPT AI, all seems correct until I stumbled on "TechCity" version.
9. A further search into TechCity about Remmy Nweke showed it was not found as the internal search engine could not locate what I was looking for. This invariably reaffirmed that Remmy Nweke never worked for TechCity as fact check confirmed, whereas some other variables could be correct as in being reputed for promoting digital literacy and importance of innovation in Nigeria's technology ecosystem.
10. Though another worrisome aspect of the AI generated contents claimed that Nweke is the founder of TechCity which is not true. As matter of fact, I just got to know about the TechCity in the cause of this exercise.
11. I am not yet a ‘Fellow of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)’ but an active member.
Submission:
The point here is that as much as the use and deployment of AI in content generation and or creation, there is definitely need urgently to fact-check every bit of content generated thereof via this medium, rather than being hasty about usage of unverified content by double checking from other sources or our ‘old good friend’ direct ‘search engines.’
Media professionals especially journalists on daily runs to satisfy their audiences, must choose between so-called syndrome of 'breaking news' nowadays and 'accuracy' of their reports, otherwise they could be successfully tagged purveyors of misinformation and disinformation in this age.
For those thinking of anchoring their entire newsroom on Generative AI, a rethink is urgently required for sustainability of integrity of media industry and may be heeding to the advisory of Gemini AI that it could make mistakes and therefore deserves "... so double-check it."
1 comment:
Well done
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