What impact could ChatGPT have on journalism?
The emergence of artificial intelligence-driven chatbots has revolutionized various industries, including journalism. One such chatbot that has gained immense popularity since its release in November 2022 is ChatGPT, developed by research and development firm OpenAI. ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that generates text based on written prompts and can engage in conversational interactions with users by answering their questions.
ChatGPT's human-like responses in a conversational format have made it a game-changer in the news industry, but its impact on journalism remains a topic of discussion among journalists. Although artificial intelligence is already being used by major media outlets like The Associated Press, Reuters, The Washington Post, the BBC, and The New York Times to personalize content and improve audience engagement, ChatGPT's potential to change the industry is significant.
As Jonathan Soma, who runs a data journalism program at Columbia University's Journalism School, puts it, "ChatGPT works best alongside journalists, as a tool to assist their process, not as a standalone product that does the work of a journalist.” News organizations may be enthusiastic about using GPT-powered instruments to publish stories faster and more efficiently, but it should be noted that this investment comes with a higher cost.
Although ChatGPT has some limitations, such as the tendency to give wrong responses, it can do a good job at fact-checking despite its "tendency to hallucinate." OpenAI has already acknowledged this limitation, and the biggest problem with ChatGPT remains accuracy. This brings potential ethical concerns associated with its use in journalism, including bias and accuracy issues.
As Soma notes, "the biggest challenges journalists would face in integrating ChatGPT into their workflow are 'fear' and a 'lack of knowledge.'" The messaging around ChatGPT is one of those things that can be either perfect and all-knowing or biased garbage. A guided environment where journalists can play around with ChatGPT could help them understand its strengths and weaknesses and use it effectively in their work.
