The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in media took center stage at the European Publishing Congress, which commenced today in the Austrian capital, Vienna.
Report's correspondent informs from Vienna that media leaders from across Europe emphasized the necessity of AI adoption while stressing the importance of a cautious approach.
Annett Dowideit, head of the German website Corrective.org, noted that media cannot rely solely on AI.
"AI cannot conduct journalistic investigations; it can be used for fact-checking. However, we should not consider reducing the number of journalists. Instead, we must invest in their professional development," she said.
Oli Reisman from Der Spiegel believes that AI-generated text can be riddled with false information, adding that "AI can be unpredictable in delivering information."
Nevertheless, he believes media should embrace AI, citing its usefulness in verifying geographical names, which rarely change.
Reisman also highlighted another challenge facing media: the declining popularity of print publications and information.
"Information provided by print media is not significantly successful among the general public. Most people worldwide now prefer video content. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok have essentially defeated print media," he said.
Maria Scholz, editor-in-chief of the Austrian Press Agency, notes that news agencies should promote AI to the masses. She provided examples of AI integration in her agency's activities, such as fact-checking, text correction, and information retrieval
In summary, all speakers at the congress believe that AI cannot replace journalists, as it cannot evaluate information, conduct investigations, or write articles like humans.