Haiti–Media and Technology: Sixty Journalists Trained in Artificial Intelligence by the U.S. Embassy

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— About sixty Haitian journalists participated, from March 2 to 4, 2026, in Pétion-Ville, in a training session dedicated to integrating artificial intelligence into journalistic practice. The initiative, welcomed by the Training Directorate of the Haitian Observatory for the Right and Freedom of the Press (OHDLP), was organized by the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, with the academic support of the École Supérieure d’Infotronique d’Haïti (ESIH). The training, themed «The Augmented Journalist: Integrating Generative Artificial Intelligences Without Compromising Editorial Independence,» aimed to familiarize media professionals with new technologies that are rapidly transforming the production, dissemination, and consumption of information. Understanding the Opportunities and Limits of AI According to the OHDLP, these three days of work allowed participants to interact with specialists in the field, notably the Director General of ESIH, Patrick Attié, regarding the opportunities and limits of artificial intelligence in journalism. In a context marked by the acceleration of communication technologies, the speakers emphasized the need for journalists to master these new tools while preserving the fundamental principles of the profession. The opening ceremony was marked by the address of the Communications Director of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, senior journalist Joël Lorquet. He recalled that journalism now evolves in a digital environment dominated by the instantaneous dissemination of information. «Technology today allows almost any individual to publish content. But publishing does not necessarily mean informing,» he declared, emphasizing the importance of journalists' role in verifying and analyzing facts. While acknowledging the usefulness of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, he insisted on its limits: «Artificial intelligence can save us time, but it will never replace human responsibility and emotion in information processing,» Loriquet added. A Training Born from Growing Interest in AI According to Joël Lorquet, this in-person session originated from an online training program regularly organized by the U.S. Embassy for Haitian journalists. The participants' growing interest in issues related to artificial intelligence led the organizers to set up this intensive three-day training. About sixty journalists were thus selected from among the first registrants, including the promotion director of the weekly magazine Haïti-Espoir and executive director of the OHDLP, Alex Calas. The Embassy's communications officer, however, indicated that several journalists from the regions also wished to participate, but difficulties in traveling to Port-au-Prince limited their presence. AI, a Powerful Tool Requiring Vigilance During the various sessions, participants explored the concrete applications of artificial intelligence in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information. Patrick Attié, information technology specialist and Director General of ESIH, explained that generative AI tools can accomplish up to 80 to 90% of preparatory work in certain editorial tasks. However, he reminded that the decisive steps of the journalistic process remain profoundly human. «Fact-checking, context analysis, and the exercise of critical thinking remain responsibilities that cannot be delegated to machines,» he stressed, while warning against algorithmic biases that can result from the data used to train artificial intelligence systems. Strengthening Journalists' Capacities The Press Attaché of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, Amparo Garcia, for her part, emphasized the importance of strengthening journalists' skills in a constantly evolving technological environment. She recalled that the training initiatives supported by the embassy aim notably to promote transparency, public accountability, democracy, and freedom of the press. In his closing speech, Joël Lorquet highlighted that artificial intelligence is already transforming newsrooms by facilitating the analysis of large databases, trend detection, and the automation of certain repetitive tasks. «When used well, artificial intelligence can become a tool for stronger, more precise, and more accessible journalism,» he affirmed, while reminding that integrity and human judgment remain at the heart of the profession. An Initiative Welcomed by the OHDLP The Haitian Observatory for the Right and Freedom of the Press welcomed the organization of this seminar, which it considers an important initiative for the future of journalism in Haiti. According to the organization, the continuous training of media professionals appears today as an essential lever to strengthen a more modern, more responsible, and better-equipped Haitian press in the face of the challenges of disinformation and technological transformations. The organizers also plan to extend this initiative to other cities in the country, notably Cap-Haïtien, to allow journalists from the regions to also benefit from this type of training. Exchanges Among Media Professionals The seminar also served as a space for reunion and exchange among several figures of the Haitian media landscape. Participants included Denel Cinton from Radio Caraïbes, Marie-Lucie Bonhomme from Radio Vision 2000 and Télé Pluriel, Yves Paul Léandre from Télévision nationale d’Haïti, Ruphalda Jean from Signal FM, Patrice Mépriser from Radio Galaxie, and Gabriel René from Radio Kiskeya, among others. At the end of these three days of training, participants had to acknowledge that artificial intelligence is progressively establishing itself as an indispensable tool in the evolution of journalism. However, its true value will always depend on the professionalism, ethics, and critical thinking of the journalists who use it. In this regard, the OHDLP extended its thanks to the team of the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, as well as to the management and faculty of ESIH for the quality of academic supervision provided during this training. The organization also encourages the continuation of this type of initiative aimed at strengthening the skills of Haitian journalists, both in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and in provincial cities, to better integrate artificial intelligence technologies into contemporary editorial practices. Jean Mapou / Le Relief