Artificial intelligence (AI) has already entered journalism. John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News, says Bloomberg has begun experimenting with AI-generated summaries for longer stories on the Bloomberg Terminal over the past month.
The software reads articles and distils them into three succinct bullet points, helping readers to grasp the information quickly.
“Out of the 5,000 stories we produce every day, there is some form of automation in more than a third of them,” says Micklethwait. With such wide use of technology, “our newsroom at Bloomberg is quite a good laboratory to look for clues as to how this [AI] revolution might progress,” he says, making eight predictions about how AI will shape journalism.
1. AI will reshape journalists’ roles rather than eliminate them
AI is poised to transform how journalists work, but it won’t make them obsolete. Consider Bloomberg’s approach to covering corporate earnings. In the past, a dedicated “Speed” team of fast-typing journalists focused on breaking earnings news quickly.
Then, algorithms became capable of scanning press releases in mere fractions of a second.
But they needed human input to be effective. Analysts had to instruct machines on which data points were critical—for example, recognising that iPhone sales in China might impact Apple’s stock price more than its overall revenue figures.
Today, Bloomberg employs roughly the same number of journalists to cover earnings, but the depth of coverage has increased. AI will help reporters delve even deeper into stories by automating routine tasks, freeing up time for insightful reporting.
2. The shelf life of breaking news will continue to shrink
Breaking news will remain vital, but its period of exclusivity is rapidly diminishing. News spreads rapidly. AI technologies will accelerate this process, making breaking news instantly accessible to a broader audience. Journalists will have to provide greater depth to have an edge.
3. Original reporting will be more critical than ever
AI can summarise stories but cannot originate them. High-quality journalism depends on original reporting—the kind that requires human ingenuity, persistence, and relationship-building.
Machines cannot persuade a government official to leak confidential information, secure exclusive interviews, or craft compelling narratives.
In an era when press freedom is increasingly under threat in countries like China, Russia, and even emerging democracies, it is essential to have reporters on the ground. Local journalists possess cultural insights and relationships that AI cannot replicate.
4. Editors face greater change than reporters
While reporters will continue to play an essential role, editors’ functions may change. They will still have to manage teams and commission stories.
However, AI will be used in the more mechanical aspects of editing—fact-checking, proofreading, and restructuring articles. AI could streamline editorial processes, allowing editors to focus on higher-level decision-making.
5. Search engines will evolve into answer engines
The traditional model of search engines directing users to lists of links is giving way to AI-driven “answer engines” that provide direct responses to queries. AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are already aggregating content to deliver concise, informative answers.
This threatens the income of publishers who rely on search-driven advertising revenue. They will have to build sustainable subscription models and cultivate loyal readerships to earn revenue.
6. AI hallucinations in text will be easier to correct than in multimedia
AI’s propensity for generating “hallucinations”—false or misleading information—is a legitimate concern. However, detecting and correcting inaccuracies in text is relatively easier than verifying the authenticity of audio or video content.
Journalists rely on human verification for breaking news, but detecting fake videos, and audio remains a challenge for newsrooms.
7. News will be truly personalised
AI promises to deliver truly personalised news. AI could develop nuanced understandings of readers’ interests and needs, creating genuinely personalised news.
8. AI regulation is inevitable
As AI becomes more powerful and pervasive, governments worldwide will introduce stricter regulations. Companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google are now seen as powerful entities requiring oversight.
The European Union is already leading efforts to regulate AI, focusing on privacy, data protection, and ethical use. In the United States, political considerations complicate regulation, but public pressure is mounting.
Just as tobacco companies were eventually held accountable for public health risks, tech giants may soon face increased scrutiny over their impact on society.
A note of optimism
Micklethwait concludes his predictions with a note of optimism. AI may help journalism, just as the development of the mass media in the 19th century led to the appearance of serious, quality publications because people preferred to pay for useful information.
“The Economist was founded in 1843, the New York Times and Reuters both appeared in 1851, the Financial Times in 1888, and the Wall Street Journal in 1889. A flight to quality happened,” he writes. AI may have the same salutary effect.