As readers turn to Artificial Intelligence rather than mainstream media for their news, journalists need to understand their jobs are more important than ever, according to Zeynep Tufekci, a featured speaker at the “Addressing the Impact of Social Media and AI on Democracy” symposium at the University of Mississippi on April 1.
Tufekci is a professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University. She also is a New York Times opinion columnist and the author of the book “Twitter and Tear Gas.”
In an interview after she spoke to the general assembly at the symposium sponsored by the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation, Tufekci described the benefits that come from using artificial intelligence and the challenges it presents.
“One of the things that AI brings to the public sphere is the difficulties of figuring out what’s authentic versus what’s not. Journalists by acting as gatekeepers help the audience, the readers and the public differentiate between what is real versus what is just an unsubstantiated claim. Journalists can play a major role in helping us adjust to all the changes that AI may bring to how we consume information,” Tufekci said.
So why is it essential for journalists to understand AI?
“Young journalists will be working in an environment where AI plays a major role, and they need to understand what they bring to these conversations and what and how they can contribute to society by being a journalist. AI is going to both allow them to do certain things perhaps a little easier but also create real challenges in how the public is informed,” Tufekci said.
Tufekci often travels to college campuses to explain why AI is important at the collegiate level.
“If you look at the history of technology and different scientific advancements similar to this one, they make being informed and educated even more important for many reasons. You should be informed generally so you can get jobs in the future, but also you want to understand how you can and should try to use these technologies for the good of society and deal with their downsides,” Tufekci said.
Concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence include invasion of privacy, with the technology collecting and analyzing massive amounts of personal information; the potential unchecked spread of propaganda and disinformation; the amplification of biases; and the technology’s lack of transparency and accountability.
“I don’t think it will take over the role of journalism. I think it’s going to make the role of a journalist to verify and authenticate the delivery of credible information even more important,” Tufekci said.
Many mainstream media companies, already wrestling with the challenge of making journalism financially viable, see AI’s procurement and dissemination of their copyrighted content as a threat to their very existence.
“The challenge, of course, is (AI) using the labor of journalism without paying for it. So there is going to be a need to find new ways to make sure that journalists can do the job for the benefit of society, but in a way that pushes the goal and people can get paid to do it, because you can’t just pay for things and have them done,” Tufekci said.
Journalists can benefit by using AI.
“It can help process certain kinds of data, but you have to be careful. You have to understand what it’s good for and what it’s not good for. AI can help with minor parts of writing. There is nothing wrong with AI copy editing things just like we use spelling checks,” Tufekci said.
Tufekci herself uses AI.
“I use it to see how it works and how it doesn’t. But for right now, I use it as an addition to my search. However, I found that it can produce fake findings. It does a great job occasionally, but it does produce fake things as well,’ Tufekci said.
Tufekci gave future journalists advice as they enter the newest digital age.
“For young journalists it’s important to not be afraid of technology. … It’s completely understandable that anyone smart enough to be a journalist is smart enough to go and learn the specifics of how this tool works. And that will help them both use it appropriately and understand its strengths and weaknesses and how it’s going to transform the public sphere and the world of journalism.
“There’s no reason to be doom and gloom. The future is not preordained; it’s what people make of it. But to make something of the future in a positive way you have to be informed, so I would say learn a lot, do things, dive into the details, learn how it works and think,” Tufekci concluded.
