\n
\n
By Sabina Inderjit<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Imagine having a super-smart assistant that can gather information, write drafts, generate videos, clone voices, et al. Incredible possibilities that artificial intelligence (AI) offers in the media. Yes, it\u2019s transforming journalism by handling routine tasks, analysing vast data sets, and enhancing content delivery. And like any powerful tool, AI comes with its own set of ethical and legal dilemmas.<\/p>\n The power and peril of AI has sparked a heated discussion in the media, often referred to as the Fourth Estate\u2014wielding influence, shaping public opinion and a watchdog of democracy. Will it help safeguard or play mischief? At the same time, AI\u2019s rapid development has sparked fears among journalists whether they would become obsolete!<\/p>\n That may not be the case, as speakers during a session \u2018Shaping the Future of Journalism in the AI media Era: Copyright and Ethical Challenges,\u2019 at the World Journalists Conference 2025, organised last month by the Journalists Association of Korea would have the 70-odd participants from over 50 countries believe.<\/p>\n AI won\u2019t replace journalists\u2014it will replace journalists who don\u2019t use AI. Good journalism relies on human traits that AI lacks: empathy, curiosity, and the ability to ask hard questions in real time. AI won\u2019t meet informants, uncover hidden documents, or attend a press conference and challenge a prime minister. When disaster strikes, it\u2019s human journalists who head to the scene to speak with witnesses and capture the raw, emotional truth.<\/p>\n The plus and minuses of the evolving media landscape shaped by AI were spelt out by speakers from China, Poland, South Korea and the US. AI could achieve remarkable things, such as in Kunshan, East China\u2019s Jiangsu Province, wherein police used AI to catch criminals who had swindled $145,000. The AI system traced the money in just 10 minutes and stopped half of it from being transferred. The suspects were caught, highlighting how AI can analyse data faster than any human and help resolve complex cases that might otherwise go unsolved.<\/p>\n On the flip side, the same power can be misused. In Kunming, Yunnan Province, a fraudster used AI face-swapping software to impersonate a victim\u2019s friend and nearly tricked them into sending $43,500 worth of gold bars. Fortunately, police intervened in time. In another case in Beijing, a voice actor\u2019s voice was cloned without her consent and used in audiobooks. The court ruled this a violation of her rights\u2014a clear example of how AI can cross ethical and legal boundaries.<\/p>\n While AI offers substantial benefits, it also poses serious threats to privacy, identity, and intellectual property. There\u2019s a need to strike a balance between embracing innovation and safeguarding citizens\u2019 rights. AI use should never infringe on reputation, privacy, or image rights. It\u2019s not just about creating regulations\u2014education, awareness, and continuous research are vital to establishing ethical boundaries.<\/p>\n In early March in China\u2019s \u2018Two sessions\u2019, most significant political meetings many lawmakers and experts called for deeper research and clearer AI legislation. Globally, this conversation is intensifying, particularly around copyright issues and fair use of journalistic content.<\/p>\n In the U.S., The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement, and similar concerns are growing in South Korea. The Korean Newspaper Association (KNA) initially determined that Naver, dominant web portal and search engine, often referred to as \u201cGoogle of Korea\u201d had incorporated news content from media outlets into its AI services without proper authorisation. It plans to file formal complaints against both domestic and international tech companies, including Google and OpenAI, for using news content in AI training without proper authorization.<\/p>\n The KNA argues this unauthorized use violates copyright laws and constitutes an abuse of market dominance under the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act. Without clear legal frameworks, the unchecked use of news content by AI could severely impact journalism\u2019s sustainability by eroding its economic foundations and remain a persistent challenge.<\/p>\n In Poland, in July 2024 there was a nationwide media protest wherein hundreds of editorial offices participated calling for changes to the copyright law. They called for a mechanism to negotiate payment for content used by global tech companies and that it shouldn\u2019t remain a legal fiction but become a real tool. Eventually a compromise was reached, albeit unsatisfactory. Negotiations are ongoing between publishers and Google, and if an agreement isn\u2019t reached, the state administration would need to step in.<\/p>\n Besides, in Poland, where the political and media landscape is polarised, the ethical use of AI becomes particularly important. But this problem affects practically every country especially the global geopolitical situation\u2014 the war in Ukraine, the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula, or the massive changes in US politics. AI algorithms, which are based on data patterns and user behaviour, can deepen media fragmentation, leading to creation of information bubbles, which will only further intensify existing political divides.<\/p>\n The EU was the first to adopt a comprehensive AI Act, followed by South Korea. These regulations include provisions to label AI-generated content and outline prohibited uses. However, ambiguity remains around what qualifies as \u2018creative input\u2019 when AI helps write an article. The EU law won\u2019t be fully applied until 2026, and AI\u2019s capabilities may evolve dramatically by then.<\/p>\n Additionally, as traditional media loses influence in the advertising market, distribution models are shifting in ways that weaken competition and diversity in the media landscape. To address these concerns, the EU adopted the Digital Single Market Directive in 2019, requiring platforms like Google to sign agreements with publishers for content usage.<\/p>\n Under current EU copyright laws, training AI on content is allowed unless explicitly forbidden by rights holders. Yet publishers argue that if tech giants use their work, they should compensate accordingly. Google, for example, benefits from journalistic content while trying to position itself as a publisher\u2014without paying for the work it leverages. This places publishers in a difficult spot: they face the dominance of tech giants while also needing to fund quality journalism.<\/p>\n Fortunately, they are doing so, using AI as an ally and not a replacement. For example, Ringier Axel Springer Polska, one of Poland\u2019s largest media companies, is using AI to handle some tasks\u2014like creating localised weather forecasts during night shifts\u2014freeing journalists to focus on meaningful work. Tools like AI-assisted article summarization help readers quickly digest key stories when they\u2019re short on time, improving user experience.<\/p>\n Another example is that of The New York Times. In October 2024, in an investigation titled \u201cInside the Movement Behind Trump\u2019s Election Lies,\u201d it used AI to analyse over 500 hours of video from the Election Integrity Network. AI translated and indexed 5 million words from the recordings, allowing journalists to find recurring themes and identify key figures. But the final product was carefully verified by human reporters, and the AI usage was explained to readers.<\/p>\n This blend of AI efficiency and human judgment is key. Trust and credibility take years to build\u2014and seconds to lose. Transparency, verification, and ethics must remain central to journalism. And while AI is transforming journalism, it doesn\u2019t diminish the role of journalists\u2014it elevates it. When used ethically and intelligently, AI enhances reporting, speeds up workflows, and allows for deeper investigative work.<\/p>\n To shape the future responsibly, journalists must learn how AI works, understand both its risks and rewards, and continuously update the frameworks\u2014legal, ethical, and professional. The tools are here. It\u2019s up to the media to use them wisely. \u2014 INFA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" AI & Media\u00a0\u00a0 By Sabina Inderjit Imagine having a super-smart assistant that can gather information, write drafts, generate videos, clone voices, et al. Incredible possibilities that artificial intelligence (AI) offers in the media. Yes, it\u2019s transforming journalism by handling routine tasks, analysing vast data sets, and enhancing content delivery. And like any powerful tool, AI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-263848","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-features"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=263848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263848\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=263848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=263848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=263848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}