Leverage AI’s potential safely and ethically to promote press freedom in Guyana – Dr. Toussant Boyce

Apr 20, 2025 News

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By Shania Williams

Kaieteur News- The local media fraternity must learn how to navigate the perils of Artificial Intelligence (AI) while leveraging its potential. This call was made by Head of the Office of Integrity, Compliance and Accountability at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Toussant Boyce.

Dr. Boyce, who stressed the importance of responsible use of AI and the development of “sovereign AI” frameworks in the Caribbean, was at the time speaking at the Guyana Press Association’s (GPA) World Press Freedom Day 2025 lecture held at the Herdmanston Lodge, Queenstown, Georgetown on Thursday.

“Now is the time for sovereign AI — at least establish the building blocks, and the media has a major role to play in this,” he urged.

World Press Freedom Day is themed ‘Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media’.

Dr. Boyce, whose lecture focused on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Journalism, reminded that AI is quickly evolving.

“We are entering an era where newsrooms won’t just use AI for assistance — AI will be the newsroom,” he declared. “And while failure and experimentation are part of technological evolution, the stakes in journalism are uniquely high because press freedom underpins democracy itself.”

The lecture underscored the growing influence of AI on media practices and the importance of press freedom in countering disinformation, corruption, and intimidation. Citing global data, Dr. Boyce revealed that a journalist is killed every four days, with 688 unresolved cases of killed journalists currently recorded worldwide. He noted that women in journalism are especially vulnerable, facing both physical threats and online harassment.

“Use AI, including risk assessments, to design and implement countermeasures against targeted AI and other online content,” Dr. Boyce, who impressed upon the responsible use of AI, advised.

A central message of his address was the urgent need for countries in the region to establish their own AI strategies tailored to local cultural, legal, and societal contexts. “Now is the time for sovereign AI — at least establish the building blocks, and the media has a major role to play in this,” he urged.

“The safe and ethical use of AI can be achieved in a balanced regulatory environment that ensures transparency and accountability, without limiting, to our detriment, the use of technology like AI,” the CDB official stated.

Amidst a year of contentious global election cycles and surging online misinformation, Dr. Boyce stressed the media’s role in preserving transparency, public trust, and democratic values.

“We are not just asking ourselves what technology can do — the real question is: how do we ensure AI becomes a force for good, especially in public service, financial integrity, and global cooperation?” he challenged policymakers, journalists, and regulators.

He explained the rising capabilities of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) — systems that can learn, reason, and apply knowledge with human-like ability, and the emerging risks posed by Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), which could eventually surpass human intelligence altogether.

Dr. Boyce cited a recent milestone in AI development, where for the first time, an AI system reportedly passed the Turing Test, successfully mimicking human conversation to the point where humans could no longer distinguish between man and machine.

“This marks a profound shift in the relationship between technology and truth,” he warned. “Journalists will increasingly face information environments in which machines, not humans, are the primary authors of narratives. Our ethical frameworks, verification tools, and institutional safeguards must evolve — fast,” he said.

While acknowledging the tremendous benefits of AI for investigative journalism, automated reporting, and newsroom efficiency, he also cautioned against its misuse. He pointed to the proliferation of deepfakes, the mass production of false content, and the manipulation of public perception as real dangers.

“The brave new world of AI is evolving quickly, and in novel ways that will pose significant challenges and provide great opportunities for members of the media,” Dr. Boyce concluded.

“AI’s evolution will provide many pleasant and unpleasant surprises. Continue to learn how to navigate the perils of AI and to leverage its potential, safely and ethically, to promote press freedom for Guyanese and for the good of all humanity.”

Meanwhile, the Guyana Press Association honoured four long-serving members of the press with awards. Their careers span decades, and their paths are all different, leading them to years of journalism excellence.

The awardees are videographer Paul Vanvield, broadcaster Michella Abraham Ali, journalist and online media pioneer Gordon Moseley and crime-solving journalist and author Michael Arthur Jordan.

 

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