Even AI thinks journalism is essential

Ask an AI app if it will kill off journalism and you get a nuanced answer. But from a human point of view, things seem more black and white.

I asked ChatGPT, a popular AI app, to answer this question: Can journalism survive AI?

The reason I gave it this task is because of a rather depressing report that just came out from the Brookings Institute on that very question.

Brookings, a think tank out of Washington, D.C., concluded that the domination of such things as search, advertising and data have “decimated” the journalism industry. Artificial intelligence is the second punch that could kill journalism if the organizations that produce it can’t adapt.

In response to my inquiry, ChatGPT argued: “While AI can automate certain aspects of the news-gathering process, it cannot replicate the creativity and intuition that drive groundbreaking investigative journalism. Uncovering corruption, exposing injustice and giving voice to marginalized communities require human reporters to delve deep into stories, connect with sources and unearth truths that may be hidden beneath the surface.”

It concluded: ”AI can complement journalism, but it cannot replace it.”

So even AI acknowledges that it can’t replace journalism.

Can an algorithm act as a watchdog?

If AI could replace journalism, then the only thing we’d need to worry about is that the journalists who make their livelihood reporting news and digging out corruption and malfeasance would have to find another line of work.

And really, the beauty of a robot reporting corruption is that it is difficult to kidnap a robot or threaten its family — the types of intimidation faced by hundreds of journalists trying to do their job around the world.

You could imagine some powerful world leader threatening Mark Zuckerberg’s life or family and as a result some tinkering is subsequently made to the AI algorithm. But then the same thing could be happening now to the heads of news organizations who then subsequently pull back their journalists from various news beats. Since those news organizations are the ones who report news, would we ever know that was happening?

The reality is that artificial intelligence could kill journalism without replacing it, leaving people without information they can rely on. When there are no reliable, credible sources of news, rumors spread and take on a life of their own. People panic and riot and revolt based on fears born from misinformation. Lawlessness prevails.

Right now, entire news organizations are disappearing. The Brookings report found that last year some 2.5 local news outlets folded every week in the United States.

Data collected by researcher Amy Watson in August 2023 found that in the UK, each year over a 10-year period ending 2022, more news outlets closed than were launched. CNN reported in June 2023 that Germany’s biggest news organization, Bild, was laying off 20% of its employees, replacing them with artificial intelligence.

Do algorithms have all the answers?

But ChatGPT had this to say: “ Rather than viewing AI as a threat, journalists can leverage technology to enhance their work. Automated tools can assist with tasks such as data analysis, fact-checking and content distribution, freeing up time for reporters to focus on more complex and impactful storytelling.”

One of News Decoder’s many human correspondents, Tom Heneghan, spoke to students on this topic in November and expressed some optimism. “It will take away a lot of the drudge work, the donkey work that journalists have to do,” Heneghan said. “It’s amazing how much work is done by somebody at a much higher level than what is actually needed.”

Once those tasks are automated, the journalist can pursue more substantive stories, he said. Plus the evolving sophistication of things like deep fake technology will make tasks like fact-checking and verification more important.

“That’s going to come up more and more,” Heneghan said. “What artificial intelligence takes away may actually create some other jobs.”

So here’s the thing: We wouldn’t have to fear AI eliminating the crucial role of journalism — informing the public with accurate information, reporting from multiple perspectives so that minority voices are heard and uncovering corruption, exploitation and oppression — if the businesses that controlled the purse strings of journalism were committed to its public service functions.

The morality of media corporations

I then asked ChatGPT this question: Are media corporations driven solely by money?

It concluded: “While financial considerations undoubtedly influence the actions of media corporations, they are not the sole driving force behind their decisions.”

It went on: “A complex interplay of financial goals, societal responsibilities and individual values shapes the behavior of these entities. Understanding this multifaceted nature is essential for accurately assessing the role and impact of media corporations in modern society.”

I found that reassuring, until I glanced at the disclaimer at the bottom of the AI’s page:

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.

Questions to consider:

1. What is an essential role of journalism in society?
2. What did both the ChatGPT app and the human correspondent seem to agree on in this article?
3. What, if anything, worries you about artifiical intelligence and how you get your information?

Marcy Burstiner is the educational news director for News Decoder. She is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School and professor emeritus of journalism and mass communication at the California Polytechnic University, Humboldt in California. She is the author of the book Investigative Reporting: From premise to publication.

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