News collection

AI can serve as a powerful virtual assistant for journalists in searching for and identifying information. AI-enabled applications can help figure out story ideas, collect and process data to track events, extract information, and identify trends. AI can also be a virtual assistant for organizing information and suggesting links among topics. With software that manages and stores text, data and spreadsheets, AI can integrate features that suggest links between documents within the system, either based on keywords assigned during data storage or on the most frequently occurring keywords in the text.

AI models can predict trending topics to inform journalists about potential stories and identify coverage gaps. For instance, AI can detect anomalies in government audit reports for investigative leads for journalists or highlight key moments in video clips and generate engaging summaries for news content.

Finally, human editors will still need to assess and verify sources, write summaries and cite original information through relevant links.

News production

AI is a powerful assistant for journalists and newsrooms in optimizing content production and enhancing digital content output efficiency, tailored to personalization demands and the distinctive characteristics of digital journalistic products (real-time delivery, interactivity and synchronization across digital platforms and ecosystems).

Specifically, AI tools can help journalists proofread, draft headlines and create outlines. AI can also be used to filter datasets for investigative reporting, generate audio versions of articles, and suggest writing ideas for their articles. All these steps are conducted under human supervision and edited before publication.

Additionally, AI tools can be used to detect deep fakes, although they should serve only as starting points in the verification process.

Enhancing reader engagement

As publications compete for readership, AI-generated summaries show potential in attracting audiences, boosting reader engagement, and increasing time spent on an article.

AI-generated summaries can also be delivered to readers through chatbots. AI is also used in retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which produces summaries based on information retrieved from archived articles. Moreover, it lists the referenced articles and prompts readers to consult them for verification.

AI can also analyze reader behaviors, habits and reader journeys to suggest content and personalize user experiences. Well-managed AI systems can inspire users to explore more information by leading them to stories they might enjoy or have yet to read.

Win-win cooperation strategy between the press and tech firms

The emergence of AI is reshaping the evolving relationship between big tech firms and the press as customized AI is, in fact, difficult to develop internally, forcing newsrooms to rely on tech firms. Moreover, AI-enhanced search can influence audience engagement and further consolidate the control that tech platforms have over the information ecosystem.

However, in developing cooperation strategies with tech companies, newsrooms hold a unique advantage over tech firms since AI can only work with existing information. AI cannot go out into the world and collect information, have new experiences or interact with people. Importantly, AI systems continuously crave more data because tech companies are rapidly running out of existing training data. Without fresh, high-quality data, AI models risk degrading or even collapsing.

This means that newsrooms have more motivation in defining strategic partnerships with AI system developers, leaving tech companies with only two options: collaborate with news organizations or face intellectual property challenges.

Although there are still legal hurdles to overcome, AI companies and news agencies may form win-win collaboration in the future.

Certainly, with a clear AI strategy and AI assistant, journalism is poised to reach new heights and play a vital role in effectively implementing Resolution 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthrough development in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation at the dawn of the Technological Revolution 5.0.  

Dr. Doan Duy Khuong