Amongst a number of industry verticals adversely impacted by COVID-19, one is journalism. So much so, it can decimate media organizations worldwide. Speculations are rife if the future of artificial intelligence and its survival could depend on artificial intelligence.
By definition, “AI refers to intelligent machines that perform tasks like humans,” according to a professor of journalism at Columbia University.
Earlier, the professor at Columbia University headed the media lab at the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press – a leading news organization in the world. The journalism world is not keeping pace with evolution of technology, opines the expert. Thus, newsrooms need to take advantage of what AI has to offer and conceive a new business model.
According to the Columbia University expert, the entire journalism industry vertical is missing out on technology and artificial intelligence needs to be at the helm of journalism’s business model in the future.
Meanwhile, a professor of journalism at Quebec a Montreal has been closely following evolution of journalism since 1990, with views mostly in line with the Columbia University expert.
Handful of Newsrooms currently use AI, say media experts
The Canadian Press – is one of the rare media outlets in the Canada to use AI, asserts the expert. Going by this, the newsroom has developed a system to speed up translations based on AI. Besides, the Agence France Presse news agency also uses AI to find doctored photos.
Meanwhile, AI does not pose a threat to replace journalists with machines. The technology is only there to take over 8-12% of current jobs of reporters. This will benefit editors and journalists to reorient them towards value-added content. This includes long-form journalism, analysis, feature interviews, data-driven journalism, and investigative journalism.
