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- MediaMorph - Edition 33 by Hana News
MediaMorph - Edition 33 by Hana News
Navigating AI's Impact on Media, Journalism and Academic Publishing
MediaMorph - Edition 33 by Hana News
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The written-by-a-human bit
Welcome back - we hope you enjoyed a well-earned break.
Here are three relatively safe predictions for AI and media for 2025
Firstly, this will be the year of Google’s NotebookLM. Google’s Gemini has had a few false starts, but this scrappy little brother made waves last year with its uncanny text-to-podcast tool. That, however, may be a passing gimmick. The underlying technology of NotebookLM is a supercharged collaboration tool, ideal for teams of journalists working off multiple sources and documents.
Secondly, despite its ongoing legal challenges, Perplexity AI will continue to eat into Google’s search dominance. For me, Google is now for directions and shopping; Perplexity is for everything else. Perplexity is a great product, proving that UI and UX remain as important as the underlying AI.
Finally, this year, we will see more remarkable strides towards hyper-personalisation. Users will expect to get the news they want in the format they want when they want it. AI can pull in multiple sources (internal documents and external news) and package it up as required—from an in-depth industry report to an Instagram post to a podcast. This should 10X the reach for any given story as it can find new audiences but will require the shattering of age-old editorial shibboleths.
Meanwhile, industry leaders must get used to “future shock”. The pace will accelerate as we move from GenAI to Agentic AI and look over the horizon to AGI. Companies will need systems, systems, systems. Systems for managing agents, systems for managing pilots, systems for sharing successes and systems for managing bad AI behaviour.
Speaking of bad behaviour, we have two contenders for AI behaving badly this week.
Apple News botched some BBC headlines, incorrectly suggesting that Rafael Nadal had outed himself as gay, Luigi Mangione had shot himself, and Luke Littler had been prematurely announced as the PDC world darts champion. Apple announced a software update and more clarity to suggest that Apple Intelligence generated the headlines. This is inadequate. As we train these models, our golden rule at Hana News is always to have a human-in-the-loop before we publish.
Secondly, the Times of London reports today about a book club app, Fable, that got carried away with its year-end AI-generated wraps and accused its readers of various prejudices or poor book choices. It was vaguely amusing but highly embarrassing. This was a great use case but a classic example of poor prompt engineering.
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AI and Media and Journalism
Thomson Reuters CEO: AI will not replace journalists Talking Biz News - December 31, 2024 AI is not replacing professionals but enhancing their work in various fields, including journalism, law, and accounting. It serves as a valuable tool for tasks like research and drafting. In the next few years, AI assistants are expected to become integral to these professions, ensuring human accountability remains central to their outputs. |
Standards Editor: There’s a lot more to discuss about the relationship between journalism and artificial intelligence The Globe and Mail - December 28, 2024 The Globe and Mail, along with other Canadian media outlets, is suing OpenAI for allegedly using its copyrighted journalism to train ChatGPT without permission. The Globe and Mail also explores AI's potential to enhance news presentation and streamline workflows. Amidst legal disputes, the Globe is cautiously advancing voice synthesis technology to improve user experience, highlighting the importance of ethical standards to prevent misuse. |
Help! I’ve Been Replaced by AI! Substack - January 4, 2025 In "Help! I’ve Been Replaced by AI!", a genre fiction writer navigates the precarious balance between creative passion and the encroaching threat of AI in the writing industry. As he faces fluctuating freelance opportunities and observes AI's growing influence on both journalism and fiction, he reflects on the uncertain future for human authors amidst shifting market dynamics. |
Editorial: Local journalism protects against AI misinformation Prince George Citizen - January 5, 2025 The Thompson Citizen, a northern Manitoba community newspaper, is shutting down after over 60 years, reflecting the struggles of local journalism amid the rise of social media and AI-generated content. As misinformation proliferates online, independent newspapers remain vital for delivering accurate, nuanced reporting and fostering community dialogue. |
How To Build A Framework For News’ Gen AI Adoption Leaders from Semafor, the AP, and CUNY's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism convened to discuss the transformative role of generative AI in journalism. They emphasized its potential to enhance reporting while upholding ethical standards. The panel highlighted the importance of transparency and the need for journalists to adapt to new technologies despite concerns about misinformation. |
Otherweb Launches Press Hub, a Suite of AI Tools for Journalists Yahoo Finance - January 6, 2025 Otherweb has launched Press Hub, a powerful suite of AI tools designed to enhance journalists' productivity by automating repetitive tasks like generating metadata and social media posts. The platform, which offers features ranging from an advanced text editor to an AI research assistant, enables writers to focus on storytelling while offering both free and premium options for enhanced capabilities. |
Residents stunned after 140-year-old community staple is replaced by AI: 'It's maddening' The Cool Down - January 2, 2025 Scammers in Oregon have exploited the closure of the Ashland Daily Tidings by using AI to create fake news stories, plagiarizing legitimate articles and raising alarms about the future of local journalism. This incident has sparked a vital discussion on Reddit about the importance of supporting independent journalism for community trust, accurate reporting, and economic benefits. |
Podcast: The 404 Media Year in Review 404 Media - December 31, 2024 In this special year-in-review episode of the 404 Media Podcast, hosts reflect on the year's significant developments in AI, media, and journalism, discussing key trends and breakthroughs. Listeners can tune in on major platforms and access exclusive bonus content by becoming paid subscribers, supporting the podcast's ongoing journalism efforts. |
Nine AI hacks for newsroom leaders to promote employee wellbeing Journalism - January 6, 2025 Discover how Anita Zielina, a strategic media management consultant, is advocating for AI tools to combat poor management in newsrooms at the Mental Health in Journalism Summit. With innovative hacks like personalized ChatGPT communication and pulse check-ins, leaders can enhance employee wellbeing and streamline workflows in their organizations. |
Is AI the Future of News? Why the Newsroom is Changing Fast! Queerfeed.com.br - January 2, 2025 The news industry is undergoing a transformative shift with AI enhancing efficiency and personalization, but this evolution raises concerns about job displacement and the risk of echo chambers. As future newsrooms embrace a collaborative environment, balancing AI's strengths with human creativity and ethical considerations will be crucial for maintaining journalistic integrity. |
AI and Academic Publishing
Use of large language models as artificial intelligence tools in academic research and publishing among global clinical researchers Nature - December 30, 2024 A recent survey of 226 researchers from the GCSRT program at Harvard Medical School reveals strong awareness and mixed usage of large language models (LLMs) in medical research. While 87.6% are familiar with LLMs, only 18.7% have used them. While many see potential benefits for efficiency in academic writing, concerns about ethical implications and the need for guidelines persist as LLMs become more integrated into research practices. |
The Bookseller The House of Lords is considering amendments to address the impact of generative AI in publishing. Figures like Kate Mosse and Sir Paul McCartney raise concerns over copyright and authorship. The discussion includes the potential establishment of a distinct category for AI-authored books to differentiate them from human works, fostering innovation while honouring traditional creativity. |
Evolution Journal Editors Resign After AI Takes Over Mind Matters - December 30, 2024 The entire editorial board of the Journal of Human Evolution has resigned, citing concerns over AI interference in the publication process and a decline in quality due to Elsevier's cuts in editorial support. This mass resignation reflects broader issues in scientific publishing, where questions about oversight and integrity are increasingly prominent. |
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