With growing concerns that the future of journalism may shift away from human-created content, it is essential to conceptualize artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism. This trend might require journalism professionals to become skilled in both journalistic techniques and technology.
“Journalism, and more broadly, communication, has been the exclusive enterprise of humanity until now” (Owsley, 2022, p. 11).
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How is AI defined in journalism, and what role does it play?
Chad Owsley (2022) wrote “Artificial Intelligence as Agent in Journalism: A Concept Explication,” and concluded that “Artificial Intelligence functioning as an agent in journalism is an intelligent machine capable of imitating human journalistic intelligence, values, thinking, and/or behavior at a high level of fidelity with no human involvement required beyond initial programming” (Owsley, 2022, p. 14).
Unsplash, 2020
Furthermore, Owsley (2022) notes that perhaps the best way to connect the concepts of “journalism” and “artificial intelligence” is to recognize where they intersect. “AI and Journalism intersect at the journalist. More specifically, they intersect at the journalist’s communication” (Owsley, 2022, p. 11).
AI in journalism began as a helpful tool for daily tasks. Over time, Owsley (2022) states, the goal is for AI to eventually replace human-created reporting in the journalism industry.
If artificial general intelligence is realized, human programming may not even be required. That would give artificial intelligent [sic] agents full true autonomy in the production of journalism.
Owsley, 2022, p. 12
Exo-Journalism and the Exo-Journalist
Exo-journalism combines neighboring concepts such as robo-journalism, computational journalism, and automated journalism (Gutierrez-Caneda et al., 2023).
In conceptualizing exo-journalism, Tejedor & Vila (2021) compared it to an exoskeleton, “an element that serves as a support and is used to assist the movements and/or increase the capabilities of the human body” (Tejedor & Vila, 2021, p. 833).
This idea suggests that exo-journalism is not necessarily meant to augment a journalist’s work but to “support and assist the work and increase the possibilities/capabilities of the journalist” (Tejedor & Vila, 2021, p. 833).
Tejedor & Vila (2021) outlined five stages of work dynamics that an exo-journalist would follow.
Tejedor & Villa (2021)
Key Similarities and Differences
Both the idea of AI as an agent in journalism and exo-journalism rely on AI during the process of journalistic content creation.
Where these concepts differ is that artificial/automated journalism is produced with minimal human input.
Exo-journalism, on the other hand, is a process of AI’s assistance to human journalists in news detection, source verification, and analysis. In exo-journalism, technology is a partner rather than the primary storyteller.
Final Thoughts
Comparing these concepts helped me understand the future of AI in journalism and its implementation in reporting without removing the human journalist entirely.
Key Words: artificial intelligence, journalism, exo-journalism, exo-journalist, concept explication
References
Gutiérrez-Caneda, B., Vázquez-Herrero, J., & López-García, X. (2023). AI application in journalism: ChatGPT and the uses and risks of an emergent technology. El Profesional de La Información, 32(5), 1–16. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/10.3145/epi.2023.sep.14
Owsley, C.S. (2022). Artificial intelligence as agent in journalism: A concept explication. International Communication Association Conference, (72nd). Paris, France. https://csowsley.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Owsley-2022-Artificial-Intelligence-as-Agent-in-Journalism-A-.pdf
Tejedor, S., Vila, P. (2021). Exo Journalism: A Conceptual Approach to a Hybrid Formula Between Journalism and Artificial Intelligence. Journalism and Media, 2(4), 830-840. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia2040048
Lindsay Ashford 