AI is becoming a significant part of newsrooms, transforming how news is created, edited, and shared with audiences. This change was discussed in a session titled “AI in Newsrooms: Transformation, Implementation, and Future Challenges” at the annual ISOJ (International Symposium on Online Journalism), held in the United States. Let’s explore how AI is reshaping the news industry and what challenges it brings.
AI: More Than Just a Tool
Nikita Roy from the Newsroom Robots Lab explained that AI is not just another software but a force that changes the very infrastructure, culture, and processes of newsrooms. She mentioned, “In 2022, we were playing with chatbots, and now we’re working with AI agents that understand, use, and reuse content.”
AI’s Impact in Newsrooms: Real Examples
- Hearst Newspapers (Tim O’Rourke) Hearst Newspapers developed tools like Producer P to assist local journalists and MC, which automatically generates quizzes. Tim shared that AI works to help with tasks, but human editors still have the final say.
- Bayerischer Rundfunk (Uli Köppen) The German public broadcaster uses AI to help write news in different styles, manage comments, and even create a Regional Update audio news system based on location. Uli emphasized that they aim to make AI a service for the public.
- Yahoo News (Brooke Siegel) Yahoo News uses AI to track trending topics and generate Key Takeaways for news stories. Brooke explained, “We use AI not for scale but for quality.”
- The New York Times (Juliana Castro Varón) The New York Times is careful with AI, using it in semantic and multimedia search functions but not for generating content. Juliana stated, “AI is worthless on its own, but magic happens when combined with expertise.”
Collaboration Between Teams is Essential
To bring AI into the newsroom, collaboration between product, tech, and editorial teams is necessary. Tim created a team called DevHub to bring together tech and editorial staff. Brooke added that editors now need to understand technology too.
AI and Journalism: Maintaining Relationships with Readers
One concern raised by Nikita Roy was that AI tools like Google AI Overview or ChatGPT could summarize news without showing the source, leading readers to bypass the newsroom. This can harm the relationship with the audience.
How to Maintain Trust and Transparency
To avoid losing trust, newsrooms are focusing on transparency. Some strategies include:
- Uli keeps his methodology open.
- Tim gives disclaimers when AI is used.
- Brooke believes AI use should be gradually shown to the audience.
- Juliana focuses on understanding audience reactions through research.
Ethics, Misinformation, and Human Oversight
As AI improves, the risks of spreading false information or drawing wrong conclusions grow. To combat this, Uli’s fact-checking team is verifying AI-generated content. Tim also warned, “Too much automation is dangerous.” Brooke shared that they’ve developed an AI tool to identify low-quality content.
However, all experts agree that AI is useful, but human involvement is still necessary. AI may bring opportunities to journalism, but if not properly managed, it can become a competitor instead of a partner.
What’s Next for AI in Journalism?
The question is no longer “Is AI coming?” but rather “How will we work with AI?” AI can help save time, create better content, and build stronger relationships with readers. To achieve this, newsrooms need:
- A clear strategy
- Strong collaboration
- Transparency
- A commitment to journalism values
