By Loise Lenser
In a country that has taken the lead in the use of AI across the world, journalists have not been left behind. Kenya’s young reporters are now stepping into a new wave of digital storytelling through a structured training programme designed to help them understand and use modern tools in their daily work.
The initiative, led by IAWRT–Kenya with support from APC, Google and the Kenya Correspondents Association, is giving youth journalists the practical skills they need to thrive in a media landscape that is changing faster than ever.
Since its launch in August, the sessions have unfolded month by month, each one deliberately crafted to deepen the participants’ understanding of how technology is reshaping the craft of reporting. The first session introduced the cohort to the emerging space where journalism meets artificial intelligence.
What could have been a technical conversation instead became a practical exploration of how prompts, machine learning and automated checks are already making way into global newsroom routines. The young reporters left with a clearer sense that AI is not replacing human judgment, but it is expanding what journalists can do.
This opened the room to a deeper attention to the heart of every strong story: research. Through NotebookLM, participants experienced a new way of handling interviews, transcripts and dense reports.
Instead of being overwhelmed by scattered notes and long recordings, they watched their materials transform into neatly organised summaries, insightful highlights and structured themes in a matter of moments.
For many, it was the first time seeing a research process that keeps pace with the urgency of modern storytelling.
Following NotebookLM was Google Pinpoint, a tool that opened an entirely new dimension of reporting. Young journalists worked with archives, scanned documents, voice files and large collections of materials that would traditionally take days to sort through. Pinpoint revealed patterns, keywords and connections with ease, showing the cohort what evidence-based journalism looks like when supported by the right technology.
The programme is still unfolding. The coming months will introduce the cohort to new forms of multimedia storytelling, ethical considerations around AI, and the growing role of digital tools in shaping newsroom culture. What stands out most is not just the tools themselves, but the shift in mindset: young Kenyan journalists are beginning to see technology as part of their creative process, not as an obstacle.
The training is preparing a future media workforce that is sharper, faster and more capable of navigating the complexities of the digital age. And as these young reporters continue their journey, one thing is increasingly clear, Kenya’s next era of storytelling will be led by a generation that understands both the power of technology and the responsibility of the newsroom.
