Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the new trending topic with new technology like Chat GPT being able to write papers on any given topic. While this sounds like a perfect shortcut, what does this mean for journalism? Journalists have been producing articles that range from informing the public of tragedy to light-hearted community spotlights.
Journalism is more than reporting; there is also an emotional sense tied into every story readers tune into. Readers are trusting that the information broadcasted is accurate.
AI while having a high level of intelligence has been faulted with the errors of inaccurate information. This can cause the trustworthiness the public has in journalists to dwindle.
This past week, Sports Illustrated was accused of publishing articles written by AI, and then lying about who wrote them.
If major news outlets begin reporting false information, that can also lead to liability issues and those publications’ names to be tarnished. Ethical concerns would have to be monitored carefully and cautiously. If AI is only given data that supports one viewpoint or belief, it can result in content that can be biased, discriminatory, etc.
AI also lacks the sense of feelings one gets while reading an article. Journalists convey an array of feelings that can be sad, happy, or any emotion in between.
Robots lack this skill set. Words can be written, but feelings can not be made up. When writing a piece, journalists consider global context, socioeconomic background, and any other factors that may be able to influence the reader. The truth is, unless AI can start to feel the emotion people carry, this part of the role journalists have can never be replaced.
Another major issue is the heavy dependency on algorithms. Algorithms have begun being spoken of more and more in mainstream media.
Algorithms are the way social media platforms choose to show their audience what they might be interested in based on their previously liked or watched content. This is a feature used by AI. With this there is a chance readers won’t be exposed to different beliefs and ideals.
The world of journalism has forever changed with AI now making its mark on the scene. AI can be a valuable tool, but cannot operate the world of journalism completely under its own guidance.
