AI and the Uncertain Tomorrow of Journalism
By Rabi Ummi Umar,
Technology has always been a game-changer, easing burdens, quickening processes, and reducing the weight of human effort. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), AI is projected to add a staggering $19.9 trillion to the global economy by 2030, driving 3.5% of global GDP. Small wonder nations are scrambling to embrace its promise, racing to uncover new applications and transformative capabilities across industries.
AI has simplified nearly everything, from routine office work to academic research. Yet, it embodies the very phrase “double-edged sword”. Like every innovation before it, it carries both promise and peril. Social media once dazzled with its vast resources for learning but soon revealed its darker influence, with studies linking its overuse to declining academic performance.
Could AI be following the same path? The questions now hang heavy: What is the result of excessive reliance on AI in journalism and communication? What happens to our collective intellect when we let machines think for us? Will AI make man redundant, or will it sharpen our creativity?
Already, teachers in secondary schools and universities lament students’ overdependence on AI. Before this wave, young learners combed through pages of books and libraries, piecing together assignments and research with sweat and patience.
That very process gave them a broader horizon of knowledge. Now, the temptation is to let AI provide shortcuts. Is it truly an aid, or a crutch? For journalism, the stakes are even higher. AI now creates deepfakes, fabricates news, spreads disinformation, and fuels copyright theft at an alarming speed.
Fake content often passes for truth, staining reputations and distracting journalists from developmental reporting as they are forced instead into endless fact-checking.
Yes, using AI to polish grammar, punctuation, and spelling is helpful. But handing over the soul of reporting—the storytelling itself—to machines erodes accuracy, credibility, and that irreplaceable human touch. Readers can sense when a piece lacks heartbeat.
Journalism, at its core, thrives on ethics, context, and empathy. AI cannot carry those values. The danger is clear: unchecked dependence on AI undermines the communication profession. Anyone can now generate a passable article and publish it online, blurring the line between trained journalists and casual content creators.
The profession risks losing its gatekeeping role if carelessly diluted. So, what does the future hold? Are we surrendering decades of built expertise to algorithms? Will there be a conscious regulation of AI use? How far are we willing to go to defend the integrity of journalism?
What is certain is this: AI brings challenges, but it also brings opportunities. With discipline, ethical restraint, and wisdom, journalists can harness AI for richer storytelling without compromising their responsibility to truth.
The future of journalism in the AI era depends not on machines, but on the choices of those who hold the pen.
Rabi Ummi Umar can be reached via: [email protected].
