In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) in media coverage and its role in enhancing and enriching journalistic practices.
This has raised questions about the future of journalists as AI becomes increasingly integrated into the journalism ecosystem. Observers have noted that AI has become a reality regarding specific aspects of journalistic work.
Previous Experiments in AI Integration
The media industry has witnessed various experiments in integrating AI into journalistic tools. For instance, the Associated Press collaborated with technological platforms that relied on AI to cover baseball games by providing real-time results.
The intelligence of AI depends on the journalist’s proficiency in command engineering and guidance
Similarly, in 2016, the Buzzfeed platform announced its adoption of AI in newsrooms. However, the platform later downsized its workforce by around 12% in December 2022, which raised concerns about the future of journalists who now face the choice of either adapting to AI or facing potential job loss.
Human Journalists for Effective AI Use
Concerned experts have raised questions about the qualifications of human journalists to effectively utilize AI tools in a way that enriches the industry while safeguarding journalistic standards.
It is crucial to ensure that the human element remains integral, rather than machines replacing humans entirely, especially considering instances where AI errors have compromised information accuracy.
Command Engineering and Guidance
Raaif Al-Ghouri, an IT specialist and media trainer in the United Arab Emirates, believes that the role of AI in media coverage depends on journalists’ proficiency in “command engineering and guidance.”
AI can be a powerful tool to facilitate media coverage and enhance journalistic products.
He emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions and formulating inquiries skillfully, as this is where the human element becomes significant. Improperly directed questions may lead AI tools to provide lengthy and off-target responses.
Nevertheless, Al-Ghouri acknowledges the importance of AI as a tool for facilitating media coverage. He suggests that professional journalists can utilize this technology to summarize presentations, condense lengthy videos, analyze datasets, and create suitable visualizations. The applications are limitless, contributing to streamlining and enriching journalistic products.
Benefits and Potential Threats
While acknowledging the benefits of AI in journalism, it is essential to address potential threats and strike a balance. The inclusion of AI in the journalistic workflow should not lead to the complete replacement of human journalists.
The Arab world, in particular, faces challenges due to a scarcity of accurately written Arabic content online.
AI is a reality we cannot ignore. It will significantly impact the field of journalism.
Al-Ghouri explains that applications like “Chat GPT” had their last Arabic language update in 2021, making creating well-written and informative news stories challenging. Therefore, AI can assist journalists in their tasks but cannot fully substitute the human element.
Ethics and Standards
Establishing ethical guidelines and standards for integrating AI into journalism is crucial. Platforms such as CNET faced criticism for publishing numerous articles written by AI without proper disclosure.
These articles contained inaccurate information, leading to misleading advice for audiences interested in financial markets. On the other hand, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists announced the use of AI to analyze millions of leaked financial and legal documents, highlighting details that warrant closer examination by reporters.
However, experts like Matt MacDevitt, who heads an AI news-writing project at New York Media Lab, emphasize that these tools cannot replace the human element, as they cannot ask innovative questions and produce groundbreaking journalistic work.
The Reality of AI in Journalism
Khaled Abdel Radi, an expert in social media data management and analysis in Egypt, acknowledges that AI has become an undeniable reality that cannot be ignored. He emphasizes the need to adapt to AI and establish regulated standards for its implementation in journalistic work.
AI cannot replace the human element; innovation and uniqueness are skills beyond its capabilities.
Abdel Radi states in an interview with the Middle East newspaper that the field of journalism is among the most affected by AI technologies, surpassing the stage of mere expectations and facing the tangible reality.
However, he refutes the idea of replacing journalists with AI technologies entirely. He argues that innovation and uniqueness are skills that go beyond AI’s capabilities, and they guarantee the continued presence of the human element in journalism.
Additionally, Abdel Radi points out that journalists must evolve and adapt to AI tools, as these technologies can aid in research, data analysis, and time-consuming tasks, allowing journalists to focus more on quality and fact-checking.
Abdel Radi highlights several areas where AI can be beneficial in journalistic work. These include gathering information, verifying sources, and improving translation quality. He cites the example of the Canadian news agency that effortlessly used AI to publish news articles in multiple languages.
Journalists must adapt to AI, utilizing its capabilities to focus on quality and fact-checking.
He also predicts that solid reports requiring accuracy in conveying information, such as financial market reports, will heavily rely on AI. This, in turn, enables journalists to produce news stories more efficiently.
Role of Human Journalists
Integrating AI into journalism has sparked numerous discussions about its role, benefits, and challenges. While AI technologies can enhance media coverage and facilitate journalistic tasks, they should not replace the vital part of human journalists.
Ethical guidelines and standards must be established to ensure accuracy, safeguard journalistic integrity, and protect against the dissemination of misinformation.
Journalists need to adapt their skills to effectively utilize AI tools while harnessing their potential to streamline tasks and improve the quality of news production.
The future of journalism lies in striking a balance between AI’s power and human journalists’ irreplaceable contributions.
