Journalism of tomorrow: The use of AI
By Marsha Green
Technology moves further and further day by day, month by month, and year by year. Each time, a new product emerges that is better than the last; an update to products of all sorts, whether physically or by software is bound to happen. You may buy the latest phone, and by the time you buy a case for it, the next new phone is advertised. It is nearly impossible to keep up with all new forms of technology, and now it is finding its way into the media world. As the media and journalism world is in a fluctuant state, the use of AI (artificial intelligence), bots, and different creations that are used to fight fake news are becoming revolutionary.
According to Amy Webb and her Future Today Institute 2017 Tech Trends Report, AI is “a branch of computer science in which computers are programmed to do things that normally require human intelligence.” Newsrooms are already using artificial intelligence and bots in their newsrooms. AP uses AI-powered cameras to capture shots not possible with human hands, these images help show a perspective on a more grandeur level.
Newsrooms are also using AI tools to sift through and analyze data. “Reuters is building an AI tool to help journalists analyze data, suggest story ideas, and even write some sentences, aiming not to replace reporters but instead augment them with a digital data scientist-cum-copywriting assistant.”
How does this AI supported journalism help push the industry forward in a positive way? It helps with precision, attention to detail, and clarity. While the goal is never to replace humans and human interaction, machine-generated assistance can only be an asset and not a hindrance.
Let’s be honest, AI can fact check, identify trends, and monitor data faster than humans. Why wouldn’t we use this to our advantage? We can use it to provide information in a fast and efficient way.
As technology progresses it is our duty to move with it, to use it in ways that are beneficial to us. Journalism can only progress with the use of artificial intelligence, let us not be left behind.
