The AI Tightrope In Journalism

As a TV news producer, my job is built on trust. Every decision about which stories to tell, which voices to include, and how to frame information comes with the understanding that viewers rely on us for accuracy and fairness. That trust is fragile, and in the age of artificial intelligence, it faces new and urgent threats.

Artificial Intelligence offers incredible potential in the newsroom. It can help transcribe interviews, flag breaking news, and even suggest story angles based on trending data. But there is a dangerous line between using AI as a tool to enhance journalism and allowing it to shape content in ways that compromise credibility.

One of the most pressing risks is the blurring of authorship. If a script, article, or visual is partially or fully generated by AI, the audience has a right to know. Transparency is a cornerstone of ethical journalism. Without clear disclosure, the public may begin to suspect that the stories they consume are not entirely the product of human judgment. Once that doubt takes hold, it is incredibly difficult to repair.

Accuracy is another major concern. AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on. They can produce convincing but incorrect information, and if newsrooms rely too heavily on them without rigorous fact-checking, falsehoods can slip through. In an era where misinformation already spreads rapidly online, one poorly vetted AI-generated detail can become a wildfire that damages a newsroom’s reputation.

There is also the risk of eroding the human element in storytelling. Journalism is not just about relaying facts. It is about understanding context, emotion, and nuance that machines cannot fully replicate. If audiences start to feel that news is being produced by algorithms rather than people who understand their communities, the connection between journalists and the public could weaken beyond repair.

The solution is not to avoid AI entirely. It is to use it responsibly. This means maintaining human oversight over every piece of content, clearly labeling AI-assisted work, and prioritizing editorial judgment over algorithmic efficiency. It means being transparent with audiences about how AI is used and why.

Trust is journalism’s most valuable currency. If we squander it by leaning on AI without accountability, we risk losing the very people we are here to serve. The challenge for every newsroom is to embrace technological advancements without abandoning the values that have guided our profession for generations.