SESSION
AI – friend or foe 2.0: A journalistic perspective from inside the machine
Artificial Intelligence is transforming journalism—but not always in ways we like. Some see it as a useful tool, others as a threat.
Is this tech friend or foe? This question is more urgent than ever, today. Newsrooms are shrinking. AI is being used to cut costs. Entire magazines are now generated by machines—poorly, but fast. What does that mean for our profession?
In this talk, we will discuss how AI can help us, where it harms us, and how we can defend our craft without rejecting innovation.
Eva WolfangelSession proposer, producer and speaker | Freelance | Germany
Eva Wolfangel is a journalist focusing on future technologies. In 2018 she was named European Science Writer of the Year by the Association of British Science Writers. In 2019/20 she was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT in Boston, Massachusetts. Eva Wolfangel has been exploring the question “AI – friend or foe” for 17 years, both as an observer and a participant. In 2014, she co-developed a text-mining tool to uncover hidden connections in big datasets for investigative reporting. Since then, she has tested almost every major AI system with a journalist’s eye: How can this help tell better stories? What dangers does it pose to quality, ethics, and trust?
Serusha GovenderSpeaker | South Africa/UK
Serusha Govender is a London-based South African science journalist, researcher and strategic policy consultant specialising in the intersection of development and science innovation, AI, technology, and human rights. With 15+ years of reporting covering four continents and a decade advising governments, businesses, and civil society on digital strategy, she champions inclusive technology policy while amplifying marginalised voices. Her work bridges the gap between emerging technologies and social justice, focusing on gender equity and minority representation in the digital age. Govender’s unique expertise bridges crisis reporting and technology policy, bringing a vital perspective to how AI and emerging technologies impact diverse global communities, particularly in the Global South.
Athandiwe SabaSpeaker | Code for Africa | South Africa
Athandiwe Saba is an award-winning investigative data journalist and AI strategist specialising in using data-driven approaches and AI to tackle critical social and governance issues across Africa. She leads the AI-powered newsroom initiative at Code for Africa (CfA), developing innovative AI solutions for newsrooms, civil society, and governance organisations to combat disinformation and enhance civic engagement. Previously, Athandiwe managed CfA’s iLAB, the continent’s largest forensic data and OSINT research team. With her strong track record in bridging civic technology, academia, and think tanks, she is actively working on projects that connect journalism, academia, and technology.