NAIROBI, Kenya — Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of the media business, transforming how news is produced, distributed and consumed. But as Kenyan media organisations embrace AI, technology experts are warning that the same technology could expose the industry to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The warning was a major theme at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC2026), held at RAI Amsterdam from September 11 to 14, where media, entertainment and technology professionals examined the technologies reshaping broadcasting.
Among the key issues discussed were artificial intelligence, content authenticity, changing audience behaviour, live streaming and the continued shift towards internet-based television.
For news organisations, however, the message was clear: technological transformation is no longer a future prospect. It is already changing the media industry — and cybersecurity must evolve alongside it.
AI Is Already Reshaping Newsrooms
AI is increasingly being used across the media value chain, including content production, distribution, audience personalisation and real-time information delivery.
Generative AI can assist journalists and editors with research, transcription, translation and content production, while agentic AI systems are being developed to perform increasingly complex tasks with greater autonomy.
But the technology also presents new risks.
IBC2026 discussions highlighted concerns over misinformation, deepfakes, content authenticity and the reliability of machine-generated information.
For media organisations, the challenge is therefore no longer simply how to use AI efficiently, but how to ensure that AI-generated material does not undermine accuracy, trust and editorial standards.
Kenya Has Started Setting AI Rules
Kenya’s media industry has already begun responding to the changes brought by artificial intelligence.
The Media Council of Kenya’s Code of Conduct for Media Practice contains provisions on the use of AI-generated content and AI tools by media enterprises and persons subject to the Code.
The guidelines provide a framework for responsible use of AI while retaining the principles of accuracy, accountability, and professional journalism.
But the rapid development of AI means that editorial safeguards alone may not be enough.
Media organisations must also consider the security implications of giving increasingly capable technologies access to newsroom systems, databases, communication platforms and other digital infrastructure.
AI Could Supercharge Cyberattacks
Cybersecurity experts at IBC2026 warned that the media and entertainment industry may not be adequately prepared for the threat environment created by increasingly capable AI systems.
“We’re deeply concerned about the media and entertainment industry not being ready for the increasing threats that are happening,” said Terri Davies, President of the Trusted Partner Network, during a panel discussion on organisational preparedness.
Davies cited figures from an IBM report estimating the cost of a data breach at about $5 million, representing a 12 per cent increase from the previous year, and said 56 per cent of threats were being driven by AI.
“There’s a tsunami coming, and I’m urging you to be ready,” Davies said.
Her comments point to a growing concern within the industry: AI can strengthen cyber defence, but it can also give attackers faster and more sophisticated tools.
Tech Industry Warns Cyber Defence Window Is Closing
The concerns extend beyond the broadcasting industry.
In August 2026, OpenAI joined more than 100 companies, including Google, Microsoft and Anthropic, in warning that the window to strengthen global cyber defences against AI-driven attacks is narrowing.
The companies warned that frontier AI models could become sufficiently capable and autonomous to conduct increasingly sophisticated cyber operations on a large scale.
They urged public and private organisations to treat cybersecurity as an immediate operational and national-security priority.
For media companies, the warning is particularly significant because newsrooms depend heavily on interconnected digital systems, cloud services, communication platforms and online distribution networks.
A successful attack could disrupt not only internal operations but also the ability of a media organisation to publish and distribute information.
Human Error Remains a Major Weakness
Bekhan Btalov, Director of Content Protection for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at the Motion Picture Association, said cyberattacks do not always require highly sophisticated hackers.
“Most people expect rocket science hackers, but most causes of security breaches are simple: leaked credentials, shared accounts, phishing and AI,” Btalov said.
He argued that organisations need to train employees to recognise how AI can be used maliciously, rather than focusing exclusively on deepfakes.
The warning is particularly relevant to newsrooms, where journalists frequently receive unsolicited emails, documents, links, interview requests, and other digital material from unknown sources.
A compromised journalist’s account can potentially provide attackers with access to wider newsroom systems or sensitive information.
Can Kenyan Media Defend Against AI Threats?
The rapid adoption of AI therefore creates a difficult balancing act for Kenyan media organisations.
AI can improve newsroom productivity, help personalise content, accelerate information delivery and support new digital business models. At the same time, organisations must protect their systems against AI-assisted phishing, impersonation, automated attacks, deepfakes and other emerging threats.
The question for Kenya’s media sector is whether its investment in AI is being matched by investment in cybersecurity expertise, staff training, access controls, incident response, and AI-enabled defensive tools.
The challenge is not simply to keep up with the latest AI applications, but to understand how those same technologies could be turned against media organisations.
Cybersecurity Must Become Part of AI Strategy
The discussions at IBC2026 suggest that AI adoption and cybersecurity can no longer be treated as separate conversations.
As Kenyan media organisations integrate AI into newsrooms and business operations, cybersecurity safeguards will need to become part of the technology strategy from the outset.
That means strengthening employee awareness, protecting credentials, securing AI tools and data, improving incident-response capabilities, and continuously assessing how emerging AI technologies could be exploited by attackers.
For an industry whose core asset is public trust, the ability to protect its digital infrastructure is becoming as important as its ability to produce and distribute news.
The question is no longer whether AI will transform Kenyan media. It already is.
The bigger question is whether the sector can build the defences needed to ensure that the technology transforming newsrooms does not also become a weapon against them.
