Interview: Victoria Abiola Ajayi — A Candid Conversation with a Media CEO Disrupting by Leveraging AI
“Innovation Has Haters Too” — we sat down to unpack what this moment means — for the media, for leadership, and for those of us building at the edge of what's possible.
One of the joys of this GenAI journey is connecting with brilliant minds who are not just talking about the future—they’re actively building it. Today’s conversation is with someone who embodies that spirit: a dear friend, visionary leader, and fellow IESE GEMBA, who is unapologetically redefining the media landscape in Africa.
In May 2025, she led her organization to become the first media house in Nigeria to launch AI-powered news anchors, delivering real-time headlines in five Nigerian languages: English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Pidgin. This wasn’t an experiment. It was a bold, public commitment to accessibility, innovation, and cultural relevance in the era of GenAI.
🎙️What was the core motivation behind launching AI anchors in five local languages?
One word: accessibility. In a country of over 200 million people, where more than 500 languages are spoken, and attention spans are shrinking, traditional broadcast formats are no longer enough. People want news in the language they think in, wherever they are—WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, you name it. This wasn’t about being flashy. It was about being relevant.
What’s been the biggest misconception or concern you’ve had to address?
That we’re trying to replace journalists with AI. Absolutely not. These AI anchors are delivery tools—nothing more. The journalism remains 100% human. Scripts are written, verified, and approved by our editorial team. What we’ve done is free up human talent to focus on the work that truly matters: field reporting, investigations, storytelling. Let AI do the repetitive. Let people do the impactful.
What about deepfakes and misinformation—how are you handling the trust gap?
Let’s be clear: deepfakes didn’t start with AI avatars. But now that AI is in the mix, we need to use it not just as a threat—but as a solution. Problems created by AI can and should be solved by AI. We’re investing in safeguards, detection tools, editorial oversight. Avoiding the technology doesn’t eliminate risk—it just makes you unprepared. This is about responsible use, not blind adoption.
You once said “innovation has haters too.” What did you mean by that?
It means that even good ideas face resistance—especially when they challenge the status quo. We’ve had people say, “Well, CNN hasn’t done this yet, so why should you?” But the point isn’t to wait for CNN. The point is to lead. To act early, learn fast, and stay grounded in your local audience. Leadership is knowing when to move, even when others are still watching.
How does this initiative align with your broader mission around equity and leadership?
Media is a force-shaper. For too long, it's excluded certain voices—especially in non-Western or non-elite languages. By delivering news in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and English, we’re amplifying underrepresented identities. It’s the same energy that fuels my work with women in leadership and boardroom inclusion: voice, visibility, and impact.
Is this just the beginning of GenAI in media?
Definitely. What we’ve done is one use case. The real shift will come with agentic AI—systems that can reason, plan, and act autonomously. And we’re already thinking in that direction. Whether it’s adaptive content delivery, automated research assistants, or hyperlocal reporting agents—AI will shape how media is created, delivered, and consumed. And we intend to stay ahead of that curve.
For others building with GenAI—and meeting resistance—what’s your advice?
Own your vision. Stay close to your audience. Educate your team. But above all, don’t wait for permission. The tools are already in use. The question is whether you’re building structures for responsible deployment—or just hoping this whole “AI thing” will pass. It won’t.
And if you don’t like change, you’ll like irrelevance even less.
✨ Final Thoughts
This isn’t just a story about avatars or language models. It’s a story about bold leadership in real-world complexity. About building with values, not just disruption.
I left this conversation deeply inspired—and reminded that some of the most powerful GenAI innovations aren’t coming from Silicon Valley labs. They’re coming from visionary operators across the Global South who aren’t waiting for the future to be handed to them. They’re designing it!