AI could ‘undermine’ journalism: News Corp’s Robert Thomson
News Corp CEO Robert Thomson has warned that the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) could pose a serious threat to journalism. Speaking at the International News Media Association’s World Congress in New York, Thomson claimed that AI programmes could lead to proprietary content being scraped or blacklisted, leading to a drop in advertising revenues. AI could “fatally undermine” journalism, he warned. In his speech, Thomson also criticised the Global Disinformation Index and similar groups for their impact on advertising spend by dissuading firms from supporting publications that they deem to be involved in disinformation. Thomson argued that the media sector needed to be more “collectively assertive” in promoting the value of journalism.
FAQs
What did Robert Thomson warn about AI?
Robert Thomson, CEO of News Corp, warned that AI programmes risked undermining journalism by swiping proprietary content or blacklisting material from ad revenues. He claimed that AI posed a “fatal” threat to journalism.
What impact has the Global Disinformation Index had?
Robert Thomson criticised the Global Disinformation Index and similar groups for dissuading firms from advertising with media outlets involved in disinformation campaigns. He argued that such groups could have a negative impact on advertising spend.
How are media outlets using AI?
A number of media outlets, including the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, the New York Times, the BBC and Thomson Reuters, have started to incorporate AI into their news operations. However, Thomson claimed that such programmes lacked “emotional intelligence” without human input.
What did Thomson call for in his speech?
Thomson argued that the media sector needed to be “collectively assertive” in promoting the value of journalism in response to the challenges posed by AI and disinformation campaigns.
News Corp’s Robert Thomson cautions that AI has the potential to weaken journalism.
The CEO of News Corp, Robert Thomson, has warned that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) poses a grave threat to journalism. Speaking at the International News Media Association’s World Congress, in New York on Thursday, Thomson said that AI could undermine journalism by stealing proprietary content, directing advertising dollars away from “blacklisted” publications, and creating “super snippets” that contain all the effort and insight of original reporting but never direct readers back towards the original publication. Thomson blamed “extreme revenue pressure” and “the uncertain macroeconomic times ahead” for media companies becoming overly reliant on advertising. He also criticised organisations such as the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), which he claimed create “exclusion lists” that prevent advertisers from working with conservative media outlets.