Beginning my new Small Business Column, as originally featured in Live 24Seven Magazine, from September.
My 30-year career as a journalist predates the advent of artificial intelligence. Indeed, it predates the internet. (I’m THAT old!)
I’ve had to be agile to so much change in my industry across the decades. And now I face perhaps the toughest challenge yet.
What is this computer-generated interloper now professing to emulate a lifetime of hard-earned skills and experience and how could this self-confessed control freak possibly embrace it?
The likes of Chat GPT, Copilot and numerous others, have, admittedly, loomed large in my thoughts as a threat to the jobs of hardworking scribes. While I can acknowledge that AI is undoubtedly bringing positive change in many ways, legions of writers – including myself – have struggled to fully get on board. But why is this innovation shrouded in such nervousness?
The truth is, Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept – it’s become a newsroom staple, quietly reshaping how stories are discovered, written, and delivered. So it’s time to come to terms with its role in journalism, and now, PR.
First and foremost, it is important that AI is viewed as a support tool, not a substitute for human creativity. Collaboration over competition if you will!
News platforms are experimenting with chatbots, voice assistants, and AI-powered search tools to make content more engaging. AI can handle tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming, allowing writers to dedicate more of their time to the specialist skills of deeper investigative or creative work. Good news then in an era of scarce resources.
AI algorithms analyse consumer behaviour to craft messages that resonate with specific demographics. This boosts relevance and engagement across platforms.
For PRs, AI can help to accelerate research and help identify journalists or influencers aligned with brand values. It is also a useful tool for tracking competitor activity and media coverage and detecting emerging trends or potential crises. So, in that respect, what’s not to love?
Even, as it turns out, my concerns over AI’s inability to have a ‘personality’ (all the best writers have one!) have been misguided. The software can now mimic a writer’s style with credible accuracy. (Although we’d be forgiven for this triggering our insecurities again.)
But, while I can accept all of the above, there is one crucial human trait it still can’t replace. I wonder whether it ever will.
The fact is, AI lacks moral judgment.
It’s imperative that humans continue to vet content for accuracy, nuance, and sensitivity. As AI becomes more embedded in newsrooms, media organisations and regulators are racing to define ethical boundaries. These guidelines aim to strike that delicate balance between preserving all-important journalistic integrity and embracing the advantages of technological innovation.
It’s reassuring to learn that The Council of Europe and other bodies are working on international standards for responsible AI use in journalism. This includes adhering to international human rights standards and not undermining democracy and the rule of law.
Everyone’s agreed, AI tools should never replace editorial judgment and must handle sensitive data responsibly, complying with privacy regulations and safeguarding personal information. And this gives me a huge sense of comfort.
The writing is on the wall. The combination of artificial intelligence and journalism is accelerating, and the next few years promise dramatic shifts in how news is produced, consumed, and trusted.
Maintaining human oversight is essential – but it’s also time for us old school hacks to let go of our insecurities and ‘trust issues’ and fully embrace its proven advantages.
As a writer with high standards, I now acknowledge there are ways AI can help me. So, instead of procrastinating I am choosing to focus on that.
Information, as they say, is power and now my trepidation has given way to more of a curiosity. What can an AI-shaped career for writers look like?
For me now, it’s about proceeding – cautiously – towards a future we can’t avoid, while making it work for us in the best possible ways.
In a supporting role, of course!
This is the first of my new columns looking at issues affecting small businesses in October’s Live 24Seven Magazine. Check out the full e-edition HERE.
