By Alf Soninke
Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation, said so. The nation that masters AI (Artificial Intelligence) will be tomorrow’s world leader and dominant power.
Consequently, the governments in advanced nations, well aware of this truism, have been working to develop capacities in this 21st-century frontier of the new scientific and technological revolution.
However, despite hearing this awakening declaration made years ago by this world leader, African governments have yet to show the keenness needed to jump on the AI bandwagon.
And that includes the government of the Gambia under the Barrow Administration.
Indeed, I have yet to hear policy pronouncements and see public evidence that the government in Banjul is conscious of the importance of AI and intends to do XYZ in this domain for national development.
Indeed, such awareness must spur the Gambian state to update the new Green-focused Yiriwa National Development Plan and related sectoral and institutional strategic plans.
Related to that, we share a pertinent quote from 2023, in an online article by the Open Gambia Platform titled “Moving the Gambia to a Higher Growth Path.”
In the article, the author, late Abdou Sara Janha (RIPP), former Secretary General and head of the civil service, we got news this Sunday, on 18 May, that he just passed away, said:
“… We do not have time to waste…the Gambia has to find ways to cope with the technological revolution that is unfolding exponentially. The Gambia must…continue to invest heavily in human capital development…”
For example, on a daily basis one encounters Facebook posts about AI tools, for improving work, for teaching purposes and for education and training in diverse subject areas.
In any case, it is reasonable to expect that, in Gambia, one should by now be hearing talk of plans to offer AI at the new USET; also to learn AI tools at the new University of Education in Brikama for teaching purposes, as well as acquainting students attending all courses offered at the UTG with the relevant AI tools.
Including, of course, teaching AI at the UTG school of journalism and digital media, and in private journalism training institutions such a MAJAC.
Unfortunately, aa hinted earlier above, I am yet to hear the government and public institutions, in this country, make definitive policy pronouncements relating to embracing this 21st century new frontier of human endeavor.
Participation at the WPFD 2025 celebration organized by the GPU was, for me, the real eye-opener.
It was held at a local hotel, where a paper was presented on the topic: “Reporting in the Brave New World – The impact of AI on Press Freedom and the Media.”
The paper was enlightening; and, after the event, plus posts I keep seeing on Facebook, helped me to understand why articles I have been submitting to collaborators, when they eventually came out were far better in terms of quality than my original draft submitted to them for publication online.
I also realized that there has been a vast improvement in the tone and style of articles published by some Gambian online media with which I am familiar.
Subsequently, it was easy to realize that they have been using AI tools to assist in editing etc and facilitating the publication of better articles.
For me, this was akin to a New Era discovery, and a wake-up call as well!
And, knowing what such journalistic writing entails, I gladly welcome the great improvement in the quality of the articles being published.
There has been a Great Leap Forward in the quality of editorial output of Gambian online news media, which now uses AI tools.
