AI and Journalism: A Qualitative Inquiry of Opportunities, Challenges, Future Prospects, Ethical, Professional and Societal Concerns in Pakistan

Abstract

Artificial intelligence, automation and algorithms are reshaping communication and media landscapes around the globe offering new opportunities and raising various challenges in terms of ethical, professional and societal domains. The study has adopted qualitative approach to explore multidimensional aspects of AI adoption in journalistic practices by journalists in Pakistan. Taking theoretical foundations from Socio-Technical Systems Theory, the study has analyzed interplay between technical integration of AI into news rooms and journalistic practices by humans within the social subsystem navigating with professional transformation, professional identity, fears regarding job displacement, credibility issues, the opportunities, challenges and future prospects. The data has been collected using semi-structured interviews from journalists from diverse fields to interpret lived experiences for deep analysis. The findings of study have concluded that AI adoption has becoming not only a trend but an essential for survival in the field now yet there are mixed reactions of journalists about it some considering a positive development and some doubting it for affecting traditional integrity and identity of journalistic profession. Both journalists, the Social system and and AI, the Technical subsystem are navigating through dynamic interaction presenting picture of joint optimization. Every journalist accepts that the future of journalism is will be reshaped due to AI. So, every journalist would have to get expertise about AI tools and applications to meet up the required level of journalistic proficiencies for the field. Also, the journalists, news organization, government, policy makers all have to come together to work on ethical dilemmas associated with AI to avoid any algorithmic bias or credibility issues.