By Sheryl Finley, 9/20/2023
In their latest report, “Generating Change,” journalism think tank Polis at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) surveyed 105 news organizations from 46 countries between April and July 2023 to assess AI’s use in newsrooms.
Here are the key findings:
- Generative AI Opportunities: 73% of surveyed news organizations believe that generative AI applications, like Bard or ChatGPT, offer new opportunities for journalism.
- Experimentation with Generative AI: Approximately 85% of respondents, including journalists, technologists, and managers, have experimented with generative AI for tasks such as coding, image generation, and summarization. AI helps save time on tasks like transcription and fact-checking.
- Accessibility and Low Technical Skill Requirement: Generative AI is praised for its accessibility and low technical skill requirements, making it more user-friendly than other AI technologies.
- Ethical Concerns: Over 60% of respondents expressed concerns about the ethical implications of AI, including potential bias and inaccuracy. They emphasize the need for human oversight.
- Global Challenges: Newsrooms in the Global South face more significant challenges in AI integration, citing language, infrastructure, and political hurdles. Economic benefits of AI are often concentrated in Northern countries.
- Future of Journalism AI: The report raises questions about whether using generative AI in editorial tasks will become a norm or be viewed as unacceptable in the industry.
Overall, the report suggests that AI is increasingly seen as a valuable tool in newsrooms, but ethical concerns and challenges vary globally, requiring a nuanced approach to AI integration in journalism.
