In an era where information is instant and ubiquitous, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in news production has become both crucial and controversial. A recent report highlights escalating global concerns over AI’s impact on journalism, particularly its role in misinformation and the challenges it poses to traditional newsrooms striving to maintain audience trust and engagement.
Let’s take a closer look at the details.
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The annual Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, based on surveys of nearly 1,00,000 people across 47 countries, shows a picture of the challenges faced by news media in boosting revenue and ensuring long-term sustainability.
Newsrooms around the world are grappling with a new challenge presented by generative artificial intelligence, as tech giants and startups like Google and OpenAI develop tools capable of summarising information and redirecting traffic away from news websites.
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However, the new report reveals widespread consumer scepticism regarding AI’s role in generating news content, particularly in sensitive areas such as politics. According to the survey, 52% of respondents in the United States and 63% in the United Kingdom expressed discomfort with the idea of news predominantly produced by AI.
The report, based on a survey of 2,000 individuals per country, highlights that respondents are more accepting of AI when used behind the scenes to enhance efficiency of journalists’ work.
“It was surprising to see the level of suspicion,” said Nic Newman, senior research associate at the Reuters Institute and lead author of the Digital News Report. “People broadly had fears about what might happen to content reliability and trust.”
Concerns regarding the spread of false information online increased by three percentage points compared to last year, with 59% of survey participants expressing worry. This apprehension was notably higher in South Africa and the U.S., reaching 81% and 72% respectively, as both countries are facing upcoming elections, according to the report.
Another challenge confronting news organisations is the general reluctance of audiences to subscribe to news services. Despite some growth during the pandemic, only 17% of respondents across 20 countries reported paying for online news, a figure that has remained unchanged for the past three years, the report noted.
Furthermore, a significant portion of news subscribers in the U.S. were found to be paying reduced rates, often benefiting from trials or promotional offers, with 46% paying less than the full subscription price.
In a survey of over 5,600 TikTok users who use the platform for news consumption, it was found that news influencers are increasingly prominent compared to traditional media organisations.
Specifically, 57% of respondents indicated they primarily focus on individual personalities for news content, whereas 34% stated they predominantly follow journalists or established news brands.
These findings underscore the importance for newsrooms to establish direct connections with their audiences while strategically leveraging platforms to engage harder-to-reach demographics, particularly younger audiences, as noted by Newman.
