the value of original work,” says Pfitzner. From a technological perspective, he adds: “Cybersecurity threats to newsrooms are on the rise; AI enables more deepfakes, advanced disinformation campaigns and targeted cyberattacks through sophisticated scams.” There’s the question of whether AI can adequately imitate and ultimately replace human labour; Soso doesn’t think so, but he acknowledges the possibility. MacKinnon agrees that human judgement and oversight is irreplaceable and remains the most valuable tool for minimising the spread of misinformation. Samake believes that, while AI poses a threat to creatives, it might be more perilous to those who lack media literacy. Risk vs reward AI’s primary benefit, according to our interviewees, is its efficiency. Everyone knows that time is money, and AI has innumerable operational and economic benefits. “AI is an innovative tool that – if used correctly – can make a huge difference,” states Soso. As long as it gets results, AI is
here to stay, though Soso suggests it be used as a workflow supplement rather than a replacement. “AI boosts efficiency through the automation of repetitive tasks, enabling reporters to focus on more valuable work,” begins Pfitzner. “It also enhances coverage, allowing newsrooms to delve deeper into a wider range of topics, and empowers better-informed audiences through data-driven insights.” He doesn’t stop there though, taking stock of its drawbacks: “AI poses challenges like the potential erosion of audience trust when used to generate creative content, risks of inaccuracies or biases from flawed training data and privacy concerns regarding the use of sensitive information in developing models.” Importantly, AI-generated output is only as good as the input. For MacKinnon, AI’s leading risks include “losing the personal, human touch in stories or allowing bias to creep in accidentally if the data isn’t handled carefully. On the flip side,” he adds, “AI can help journalists work faster and dig deeper, which allows
for more compelling and accurate reporting. It’s about making the most of these tools without losing sight of what really matters.” Getting a piece of the AI pie As with any burgeoning technology, there are early adopters and there are laggards. Economically speaking, it’s better to be on the earlier side. In short, “organisations that fail to adopt AI risk falling behind,” states Pfitzner. “AI offers significant benefits that include increased productivity, higher revenue and reduced costs, leaving non-adopters struggling to match these advantages.” Whether we like it or not, ‘AI is here now’. Samake argues: “To not at least acknowledge it is like ignoring an elephant in a room.” She predicts that AI will become an inextricable element of journalistic work, and it seems like we’re already headed in that direction. “The media industry is changing quickly, and staying out of the AI conversation could mean missing out on opportunities to improve how our stories are told or even
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