Whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay. It is slowly integrated in our daily work and life. However, I don’t see AI as a competitor. Media agencies remain as professional and credible sources of news, even with the increasing use of AI technologies in the media industry. The development of AI may pose some potential threats, but also many opportunities to redefine media agencies and journalists in the new digital era.

Dr. Long Nguyen, senior lecturer in Professional Communication, RMIT University

Media agencies can use AI-powered tools as an assistant to help them with tasks such as media content data analysis, background information review, and news value and news angle suggestions.

First, they can leverage data analytics and AI-powered tools to understand reader preferences and deliver personalised content recommendations. AI-powered data mining can analyse massive internal datasets and public opinions on various topics in social media posts and also in the comments.

AI-powered data analysis can help identify trends and patterns of the readership so the media agency can customise the news feeds and push notifications for relevant breaking news, podcast, or video content to their readers.

Second, for journalists who would like to report about new topics which they are not familiar with, or data-heavy topics that they don’t have up-to-date information for, AI can extract news and provide cross-reference information with reliable sources to offer the journalists a foundation to start writing.

Further, it can help flag potential inaccuracies, verify comments, rumours, or news, and provide sources to fact-check. This can help ensure the accuracy of reporting. AI can also suggest new story ideas, angles, and values.

Based on data from existing studies, I estimate that AI-powered tools can free up 40-60 per cent of a journalist’s workload. If AI gives us back so much time, what are the human contributions in this new era? Well, journalists can focus on honing their soft skills, such as creativity, critical thinking, adaptability, ethical decision-making, and interpersonal relationship building.

While AI can generate content mostly from existing datasets, it lacks the creativity and storytelling abilities that humans have. For emotional and creative stories, journalists are the only ones able to craft a compelling narrative to capture the audience attention. They are more skilled at customising complex issues to different audiences, such as stories on the impact of climate change on human life, workplaces, and societies.

AI can gather and process vast amounts of information. But at the end of the day, journalists are the people with the oversight. They can analyse information critically, and make a judgement of any AI data analysis, information bias, or recommendation. They are the ones to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of news developed with the help of an AI assistant.

Thus, their role is now similar to that of a chef in a 5-star restaurant. The chef doesn’t typically do all the cooking themselves. Instead, the food preparation and major cooking activities are conducted by a team of cooks, each with their own specialities and responsibilities. The chef will put the final touches to a dish with their own signature flavour, while also ensuring the quality and consistency of the food.

There is lots of censorship in AI-generated content, as well as ample bias and unethical information generated by AI-powered tools due to the ‘garbage in, garbage out’ concept of data analysis.

Thus, human journalists are the ones to identify ethical issues according to the cultural, social, and political contexts of the countries, communities, and target audiences that they serve. All this while still upholding the principles of journalism.

More importantly, there is one thing that makes journalists unique and irreplaceable. It is the relationship building to access reliable human sources, to investigate developing issues, to get new insights or developing ideas shared by the sources, and to generate authentic news.

With their interpersonal skills, human touch, and empathy, journalists are able to connect with their sources and relevant stakeholders on a human level, building trust that resonates with each of them.