Siy Emmanuela Ndo, a journalist with DMRTV of the Buea Catholic Diocese, has examined the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Cameroonian newsrooms, highlighting its potential to improve journalistic work while warning against the risks of unregulated adoption.
Ndo presented her research on Thursday, 22 October 2026, during her Master’s degree defence at the University of Buea. Her study, titled “AI Adoption in Cameroon Newsrooms: Case Study of The Guardian Post and The Post Newspapers”, explored the factors influencing journalists’ use of AI tools, their benefits to newsroom operations and the challenges associated with their application.
The research comes amid the growing use of AI-powered tools in media production, where journalists increasingly rely on technology to generate story ideas, check grammar, improve sentence structure and support other aspects of their work.
Ndo said her interest in the subject was driven by the expanding role of AI across different sectors and the need to understand how journalism could benefit from the technology without compromising professional standards.
“I asked myself why journalism should be left out, especially when many people are already using AI-powered tools to check grammar, improve sentence structure, generate ideas and support their work,” she explained.
Focusing on The Guardian Post and The Post, the study adopted a qualitative approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 13 journalists, eight from The Guardian Post and five from The Post.
The findings showed that journalists in both newspapers were already using AI tools, largely on their own initiative, without formal newsroom policies or structured training to guide their application.
According to Siy, the journalists interviewed use AI for several tasks, including generating story ideas, correcting grammatical errors, transcribing interviews and preparing interview questions.
These applications, the study found, can improve newsroom efficiency, support research and enhance the quality of published content. However, the benefits depend on how the tools are used and the extent to which journalists retain control over their work.
The research identified several factors influencing AI adoption, including the availability and accessibility of tools, their perceived usefulness, time management, technical competence, workplace culture and the influence of colleagues.
Despite the potential benefits, Siy noted that the increasing use of AI also raises concerns about accuracy, bias, originality and public trust. She warned that excessive reliance on automated tools could weaken journalists’ professional skills and encourage complacency, while creating uncertainty about job security.
Editors and proofreaders, in particular, expressed concerns about the possibility of AI taking over some of their responsibilities, including grammar correction and other aspects of written content review.
Beyond these professional concerns, the study identified poor internet connectivity, unreliable electricity, high subscription costs, inadequate training and the absence of institutional guidelines as major obstacles to effective AI adoption in Cameroonian newsrooms.
To address these challenges, Siy recommended structured training programmes to help journalists understand both the practical applications and ethical implications of AI. She also called for journalism and mass communication training institutions to incorporate AI into their curricula.
She specifically highlighted the need for institutions such as the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Buea and the Advanced School of Mass Communication in Yaoundé to equip aspiring journalists with the skills required to use AI responsibly.
The study further recommended improved digital infrastructure, more affordable access to AI tools, clear ethical guidelines and government-supported policies to encourage digital transformation in the media sector.
Siy’s research was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model, the Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Technological Determinism Theory, which provided frameworks for examining how journalists adopt and use emerging technologies.
Its central message is that AI offers opportunities for innovation and improved efficiency in Cameroonian journalism, but its integration must be accompanied by professional training, ethical safeguards and institutional support.
For newsrooms already experimenting with AI, the findings point to the need to move beyond informal individual use towards clearer policies that preserve editorial responsibility and public confidence.
