How AI is being used in journalism today?
Hi,
My name is Sara Forni, AI Product Manager at Atex, and this is MyType, a newsletter dedicated to journalism, innovation and artificial intelligence.
Every fortnight we will explore a topic related to this evolving field to discover the pleasure to do journalism without repeating boring tasks and using technology as a helper, not a substitute. That's what we like to call ‘digital joynalism’.
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Today, we’re diving headfirst into a topic that is as controversial as it is transformative - the role of AI in journalism. To do so, I analysed 'Generating Change', a global survey of what news organisations are doing with artificial intelligence made by Charlie Beckett and Mira Yaseen from LSE and JournalismAI Lab.
The report is based on a survey of 105 news and media organisations from 46 different countries regarding AI and associated technologies. In my analysis, I decided to focus on both the opportunities and the difficulties that newsrooms are facing and will face in integrating AI into their daily work. In the future, I also want to explore the global disparity in AI development and adoption. Here you can find the full report in English and Spanish.
Before we begin, it is crucial to emphasise that GenAI is the fastest growing technology in media in today’s digital age. The presence of intense dystopian criticisms and exaggerated marketing buzz has overshadowed essential discussions about current issues. Fortunately, a broader awareness and direct engagement with AI now exists, allowing us to thoroughly examine its strengths and weaknesses.
How AI is being used in journalism today?
In the dynamic intersection of technology and journalism, three core areas stand out:
News gathering
News production
News distribution
Nearly 75% of organisations interviewed harness AI tools for news gathering, utilising innovations like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Speech-to-Text to automate transcription and extract text from images. These tools are instrumental in structuring data post-collection and are complemented by AI applications dedicated to trend detection and news discovery. Such applications, rooted in sophisticated data mining techniques, sift through vast data volumes to identify patterns, offering invaluable insights.
In the realm of news production, fact-checking chatbots and factual claim-checking algorithms exemplify the integration of AI, enhancing accuracy and credibility.
The final piece of this intricate puzzle lies in news distribution, where AI-driven SEO tools take centre stage. By amplifying content visibility in searches, these tools not only elevate newsrooms' discoverability but also offer insights into audience preferences, paving the way for tailored and audience-centric content delivery.
The importance of developing an AI strategy
The integration of AI in newsrooms is becoming increasingly prevalent, but a strategic approach to its adoption is often lacking. While AI technologies are being employed diversely across media production processes, the survey’s results indicate that many newsrooms lack a formalised AI strategy, attributed to constrained resources and other competing priorities rather than a lack of interest.
The approaches that do exist are often tailored to specific organisational needs and are evolving to meet the challenges posed by generative AI technologies. Despite this, about a quarter of surveyed newsrooms have reported significant benefits from AI integration, including cost reduction, enhanced efficiency, and streamlined processes in areas like fact-checking, social media monitoring, content distribution, and accounting. These developments underscore the need for more structured strategies to fully harness AI’s potential while ensuring adaptability to the rapidly changing technological landscape.
The role of technology companies
A considerable number of respondents called for increased openness from technology companies regarding the data utilisation and system design processes. There is a collective hope for these companies to take a more hands-on approach in educating journalists about AI tools. Collaboration between tech firms, civil society, media and government is viewed as essential to guarantee that technological advancements are coordinated with human-centred values.
“The worst problem is the monopoly, the absence of control, the black boxes and the fact that they develop tools and technologies that they want us to use without first asking if we want them or how we want them” one respondent answered.
Also, for this reason, almost 43% of responses emphasised the importance of training journalists and other personnel in AI literacy skills and technologies.
Human in the loop approach
Most respondents, over 60%, voiced concerns regarding the ethical dimensions of incorporating AI into journalism. There is a pronounced apprehension about maintaining the pillars of editorial quality, including accuracy, fairness, accountability, and transparency, in the era of AI. Journalists are grappling with the challenge of seamlessly blending AI technologies into the journalistic landscape while ensuring these core values remain uncompromised and integral to the profession. The quest for a balanced integration that enhances efficiency without eroding ethical standards is at the forefront of the conversation.
The researchers, who had also conducted the same survey in 2019, explained that “an emphasis on the need for a ‘human in the loop approach’ has not changed much since our 2019 survey. Newsrooms continue to view human intervention as crucial to mitigating potential harms like bias and inaccuracy by AI systems.”
Feedback indicates that establishing and enforcing ethical standards for the integration of AI emerges as a complex and time-consuming challenge for media entities. The intricacy involved in aligning AI adoption with ethical norms is a significant hurdle for these organisations.
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That's all for today!
There would be no 'digital joynalism' without sharing. We don't want this channel to be a one-way street. So for any ideas, suggestions and thoughts on the subject, don't hesitate to email me at sforni@atex.com!
Have a good weekend,
Sara