At the outset of the "Age of AI," newsrooms tried to find ways to keep the technology out of the creative process. Now – whether because of AI's inevitability or how fast and efficiently it gets things done – many outlets are demanding that their staff use the net technology to report the news. One of those is the international media and tech company Axel Springer, Europe's largest publishing company and the parent of Politico and Business Insider.
CEO Mathias Döpfner made the announcement to his employees last week, telling them they only need to explain if they do not use it – and that while AI-caused mistakes are "inevitable but necessary" when implementing new technologies, "if we make a mistake we have to apologize."
Robert Maginnis is author of the upcoming book "AI for Mankind's Future." He says the technology's impact is only beginning.
"There's going to be more trust in AI. Of course, it's going to create a labor conflict, but I think the entire industry is morphing in that direction," he tells AFN.
And the technology, says the author, is advancing at the speed of light – literally. "AI is getting much better every single day – and that is not an exaggeration."
He admits that also poses some problems. For example: Is there a way to distinguish between what's real and what's not?
"Fair question – and I think the answer, at least initially, is going to be no," he responds.
At the moment, AI is still prone to factual errors. Still, Axel Springer says its writers will be held to the same standards as before. Döpfner said those who use AI will be held responsible for double- and triple-checking for accuracy. "If you made a mistake with the AI it's the same as if you would had done it without AI," he emphasized.
While the news media is trending more and more toward using AI as a necessary tool, Maginnis says the broader culture as well is relying on AI more and more. "We're already incredibly dependent upon AI, and we don't know it," he concludes.
