The Intersection of Journalism and AI
The news industry is no stranger to disruption. From the printing press to the internet, journalism has always adapted, albeit sometimes reluctantly, to technological change. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the gates, promising to reshape the way news is gathered, produced and consumed.
For some, this feels like the beginning of the end. Headlines proclaim that AI will kill journalism, replacing reporters with algorithms and editorial instinct with machine learning.
In February 2025, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report reveals that 40% of employers expect to reduce their workforce where AI can automate tasks.
Others take a more optimistic view, imagining AI as a helpful co-pilot that can sift through vast data sets, catch errors and speed up workflows. As with most things, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle.
On our very own turf Zambia; AI continues to impact newsroom and generally how journalists gather and disseminate news although in its infancy stages in terms of adaptation. “Journalists and students admitted to using Meta AI, ChatGPT, Grammarly, Google bald, Copilot, Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Quillbot which they listed as some of the tools they were using” Director of Africa Interactive Media, Brenda Zulu contends in her recent journal on AI.
At its best, AI offers tools that can support journalists rather than replace them. Newsrooms around the world are already using AI to transcribe interviews, summarise reports, and detect breaking stories from social media activity. These tasks, though time-consuming, are necessary in the day-to-day life of a reporter. Automating them can free up time and energy for deeper investigative work and more thoughtful storytelling.
Consider the example of the BBC, which has begun using AI to personalise news recommendations for its audiences. Rather than flooding readers with every headline, the system learns their interests and delivers content that matters to them. It is a practical response to the age of information overload.
However, the benefits of AI do not come without risks. One major concern is accuracy. Generative AI models can produce text that reads convincingly but contains false or misleading information. If journalists rely too heavily on these tools without proper verification, we risk eroding trust in an already fragile media ecosystem. The idea that “AI wrote it” should never be an excuse for a lack of editorial oversight.
Debates on effective and ethical use of AI especially in newsrooms has time and again come to the fore even amidst local practitioners.
There is also the issue of bias. AI is only as good as the data it is trained on, and if that data reflects historical prejudice or imbalance, the output will too. For journalists, who are meant to serve the public interest and hold power to account, this is a real danger. We cannot afford to let opaque algorithms determine what counts as news or whose voices are heard.
Moreover, there is a broader ethical debate that cannot be ignored. Journalism is not just about processing information. It is about judgement, context, and human experience. Can a machine understand the nuance of a political scandal or the heartbreak in a survivor’s voice? Can it ask the difficult follow-up question in a press conference? Perhaps one day it might simulate these things, but we are not there yet.
For news organisations, the path forward lies in responsible integration. AI should be seen as a tool, not a replacement. It can assist with the heavy lifting, but the editorial decisions must remain human. This also means investing in training for journalists so they understand the capabilities and limitations of AI. The gap between those who use these tools wisely and those who misuse them will grow rapidly if left unaddressed.
Transparency is equally crucial. Readers have a right to know when a piece of content has been generated or assisted by AI. Just as we cite sources and disclose conflicts of interest, we should be open about how technology shapes the news. Trust in journalism is hard-earned and easily lost. Let us not throw it away in the name of efficiency.
There is no turning back the clock. AI is here, and it will continue to evolve. But we still have a say in how it is used. The question is not whether journalism will survive AI. It is whether journalism will rise to the challenge of using AI in ways that uphold its core values, truth, fairness, and public service.
In the end, it is not just about preserving jobs or adapting to a new tool – it is about defending the soul of journalism in a digital age.
The author is Communications Specialist – Emerging Markets.
