Prof Charlie Beckett,
2021
New powers,
new responsibilities
On the future of journalism and artificial intelligence
A collection of ideas, technologies, and
techniques that relate to a computer
systemโs capacity to perform tasks
normally requiring human intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence
Source: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
How intelligent is Artificial intelligence?
๐น How are journalists and news organisations adapting to AI technologies?
๐น What are the challenges and opportunities they present?
๐น What are the financial, ethical, and editorial implications?
What future for AI in news ?
๐น 71 news organisations from 32 countries ๐น
The Journalism AI global survey
The Journalism AI global survey
๐น News gathering
๐น News production
๐น News distribution
What is AI
for news ?
AI for news gathering
AI for news production
AI for news distribution
Motivations for AI adoption
Source: The Journalism AI report
Is the news media AI-ready ?
Strategic challenges to AI adoption
Lack of resources & willingness to invest
Lack of skills & challenges in hiring talent
Skepticism towards tech & fear of losing jobs
Cultural issues & gaps between departments
Lack of knowledge & understanding of AI
Lack of strategy and direction
Lack of time & inability to prioritise
Source: The Journalism AI report
๐น Do you need a strategy?
๐น If so, how should it look like?
๐น Who leads on it?
๐น Do you need new roles?
๐น What challenges await you?
A strategy for AI?
37% have an AI strategy
63% donโt have an AI strategy
Source: The Journalism AI report
Editorial & Ethical implications
Source: The Journalism AI report
โ ๏ธ Algorithmic bias
โ ๏ธ Misinformation
โ ๏ธ Transparency
โ ๏ธ Savings vs Investments
โ ๏ธ Artificial vs Human intelligence
โ ๏ธ The role of tech companies
๐น Identify your stage and state of AI readiness
๐น Understand the different kind of AI technologies available
๐น Reflect on what problems you are trying to solve with AI
๐น Identify what areas of your organisation might be helped by AI and how
๐น Identify key obstacles and plan how to address them in a systematic way
๐น Establish clear roles and responsibilities across the organisation
๐น Pick one or more projects to experiment with and start small
Key steps to approach AI
Source: The Journalism AI report
Thoughts on the way forward
๐ Changes to structures and culture
๐ Need for education and training
Potential for collaboration
(between news organisations & with research institutions)
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