Synthetic media adoption in Zimbabwe: exploring contingent agency, editorial autonomy and the politics of foreign funding

In this paper, we examine the interplay between contingent agency, funding and the integration of synthetic media at the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE) in Zimbabwe. CITE is a digital media organisation in Zimbabwe that utilises artificial intelligence (AI)-powered presenters. The research foregrounds three critical aspects of technological adoption: first, the study explores how contingent agency manifests when media organisations rely on Western donor-funded AI tools, creating dependencies that potentially limit local autonomy in decision-making. Second, we analyse how the reliance on Western platforms has implications for the editorial autonomy of African newsrooms. Third, we investigate the opportunities and challenges for integrating AI tools in an environment currently unregulated. Methodologically, the paper relies on insights from four critical role players: CITE's social media manager, co-founder, news editor and product manager. This case study demonstrates how global power dynamics embedded in technology transfer intersect with local contexts, offering insights into the challenges and possibilities of synthetic media adoption in Global South contexts.