Cipref 2026: the French-speaking press calls for adaptation to AI
Libreville closed the doors of the first International Conference of the French-speaking Press (Cipref) last Friday on a strong act: the adoption of the Libreville Declaration. For five days, journalists and media professionals from 23 French-speaking countries and beyond debated a subject that was as essential as it was sensitive: artificial intelligence and its impact on the media.
In a context marked by the accelerated change in digital technologies, the participants recognized that a new dynamism is now required for French-speaking media, faced with profound upheavals in the production, processing and dissemination of information.
Political and economic pressures, insecurity of journalists, lack of resources, proliferation of disinformation: the diagnosis made in Libreville is uncompromising.
Faced with these challenges, the Libreville Declaration adopted at the end of this conference calls for a real adaptation of journalists and press companies, while reaffirming an “unshakeable” attachment to the principles of ethics and professional conduct, freedom of the press, freedom of expression and the right to information, as enshrined in international instruments.
But it is above all the place of artificial intelligence in editorial offices which has crystallized the exchanges. Between opportunity and threat, opinions converge on one point: AI cannot replace humans, but it requires responsible use.
Journalist on national television in Equatorial Guinea, Cristabalina Abua sees it as a double-edged tool. “The proper use of AI can improve our quality of work, but if we use it incorrectly, it becomes a threat. This is why some journalists say that AI is a threat,” she emphasizes.
On a personal level, she confides, AI serves her above all to reinforce professional rigor: “I use AI to verify information. It can help you find reliable sources. »
A point of view shared by Valaire Bougue, Cameroonian journalist at Vox Africa, who invites us to overcome the sometimes excessive fears around artificial intelligence. “A priori, we might think that AI is a real threat for journalists, because fake news and deepfakes are sometimes designed by artificial intelligence mechanisms,” he explains.
But for him, the responsibility remains human: “In reality, the AI reacts, but does not act. As long as man does not instruct, AI cannot take action. The deepfakes produced are under human control. »
Beyond the debates, Cipref intends to be long-term. The participants decided to perpetuate the conference, which will now be held every year, with scientific days dedicated to the issues of the global media ecosystem.
A committee will also be set up to draft the fundamental texts of the organization.
Adopted in Libreville on January 23, 2026, the Libreville Declaration is intended to be a starting point. That of a French-speaking press aware of its fragilities, but determined to remain master of its future in the era of artificial intelligence.
Abdou Khadir Seck, special correspondent
