The artificial intelligence (AI) era is upon us, and journalism is in the crosshairs. More than half of the journalists surveyed for a new report said they had concerns about AI’s ethical implications on their work.
Some of those concerns stem from a fear that generative AI, which learns and writes stories using patterns observed, could replace journalists. Others worry that the technology will create biased or skewed content. Still, many interviewed say they believe a combination of human and generative AI could benefit the media.
Generative AI has already begun to change the way newsrooms operate. The technology allows them to automate many tasks that previously required a large staff. It is helping them reach readers online in new languages and compete globally. It analyzes publishers’ content to understand how readers interact with it and offers them stories they are likelier to click on. It also analyzes text to identify bias patterns and ensure that facts are presented accurately.
However, while it is helping them automate tasks, a lot of generative AI still requires human oversight. As a result, it is still being prepared to replace journalists. This was highlighted by a series of errors in a story written by an AI system at CNET and the hoax column in The Irish Times.
Generative AI is best used to produce more basic reporting, such as fact-checking and visual verification. It must still be ready to write headlines and create stories requiring more complex and creative skills.
What generative AI can’t do, or will never be able to do, is the fundamental journalistic tasks, such as talking to real people about their lives and bearing witness to events. It’s incapable of revealing stuff that influential people don’t want to be revealed.
A newsroom’s use of generative AI will depend on its values and goals. Some will keep their existing journalistic values and rely on technology to help them meet their business goals. Others will develop a new set of values that guide their use of generative AI.
In both cases, the emergence of generative AI will require the industry to work with new partners to find ways to collaborate and share skills. A successful partnership will be built on trust, transparency, and a commitment to verifying the accuracy of the news.
The Reuters Institute report’s authors are conducting a yearlong project to explore how newsrooms can leverage generative AI. They have surveyed over 100 media organizations that vary in size, region, language, business model, and mission. They plan to release the full report in 2022. In addition to the research, they will host workshops in cities worldwide to hear directly from journalists about their experiences with generative AI and its impacts on their work.
