From SEO research to generating social media content, artificial intelligence has already become a valuable tool in many newsrooms. But how do audiences feel about AI being used by journalists? New research from SmithGeiger‘s Q2 2024 survey reveals both growing audience acceptance to AI being used to generate news content as well as lingering concerns around job displacement and how AI is used.
SmithGeiger Q2 2024 Survey: Audiences Cautiously Embrace AI In Newsrooms
The SmithGeiger study, which initially sampled 2,036 adults aged 18-64 representing the general population in the United States, provides valuable insights for TV station group owners, business leaders in tech and media, and news organizations developing AI integration strategies. The study first assessed AI awareness among all participants, then proceeded to ask more detailed questions about AI to the subset of respondents who demonstrated at least some awareness of the technology.
Highlights from the survey include:
- 32% of respondents were aware of AI being used for news content creation
- 58% of the survey participants believe AI may do more harm than good
- 50% felt either positive or neutral about AI usage in news content creation (23% positive, 27% neutral)
- Concerns about job displacement remain prevalent
- Audience interest in news-related uses for AI increased from Aug ’23 to May ’24, with using AI to create hyper-local newscasts, including traffic and weather, being the most popular
Demographic Breakdown:
- Males (39%) were more aware of AI use in news than females (25%)
- Younger age groups showed higher acceptance rates of AI, with 45% of males aged 18-34 being the most aware
- Asian Americans had the most positive outlook, with 38% expressing positive feelings about AI in news
- Older age groups tend to be more skeptical, with the lowest acceptance among females aged 50-64 (only 20% aware of AI use in news)
- White respondents showed the highest level of negativity, with 57% expressing negative feelings about AI in news
Growing Interest With Using AI For Creating News Content
One of the most striking findings from the SmithGeiger survey is an increasing interest in news-based publishers using AI to generate local news content. The data shows an uptick in positive sentiment compared to just a year ago, suggesting a gradual positive shift to the idea of AI playing a larger role in news production.
From hyperlocal, AI-generated weather forecasts to AI image creation, survey participants were given a variety of potential use cases for AI in newsrooms.
“The increasing interest in AI-generated local news content, particularly for weather and traffic, is a clear signal for broadcasters. It’s not about replacing journalists, but about augmenting their capabilities,” says Andrew Finlayson, EVP of digital strategies and AI at SmithGeiger. “By strategically implementing AI in these areas, local stations can free up resources for more in-depth, investigative reporting that truly serves their communities. It’s about using AI as a tool to become better storytellers and more efficient news operations.”
The only survey question that showed a decline between May 2023 and May 2024, was the creepy example of a “TV newscast in which real news is presented by an AI version of a deceased newscaster who you loved.”
This growing acceptance is particularly pronounced among younger demographics and certain ethnic groups, pointing to a potential generational and cultural shift in attitudes towards AI-powered journalism.
But what’s driving this change in perspective?
One possible explanation is the increasing use and audience exposure to AI-generated content across platforms. As AI becomes more sophisticated, the quality and prevalence of AI-produced content, including news, has improved, potentially contributing to this warming reception.
Persistent Skepticism: Audiences Still Worried About Negative Impacts Of AI
Despite signs of increased awareness and growing acceptance, the survey also reveals significant lingering concerns about AI. Approximately half of the participants expressed the belief that AI might do more harm than good (ie. Skynet?). This skepticism underscores the need for news organizations to approach AI implementation with caution and transparency.
AI Job Displacement Is A Growing Concern, Especially For News Organizations
One of the most significant concerns highlighted by the survey is the fear of job displacement. The percentage of respondents who think that AI will cause a reduction in human jobs increased from 69% to 85% between May 2023 to May 2024.
This perception presents a unique challenge for news organizations looking to integrate AI innovations while maintaining employee morale. AI is already causing many companies to reprioritize their staffing, including news organizations. “AI won’t take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will,” says Aaron Ganek, startup advisor at Blazar Ventures. It’s a poignant piece of advice about the need for AI training for both employees and their managers.
But by optimizing content strategies, and placing a renewed focus on upskilling staff, leadership teams may be able to better plan for a newsroom with AI-augmented capabilities.
“In the news industry, we’re seeing a shift in the types of roles that AI can augment or potentially replace,” says Dr. Brian Charles, president of the AI development firm Silver Lead and head learning facilitator for executive courses at MIT Sloan School of Business & MIT CSAIL, through 2U. “While AI excels at data processing and generating summaries, it’s crucial to remember that the core of journalism – critical thinking, investigative skills, and ethical decision-making – remains uniquely human.”
“News organizations should focus on upskilling their workforce to leverage AI as a tool, rather than viewing it as a replacement for human journalists,” he says (disclosure: Dr. Charles was my advisor at MIT).
A Cautious Multi-Platform AI Content Strategy For Newsrooms
The mixed audience reaction revealed by the SmithGeiger survey presents both opportunities and challenges for news outlets. While there’s a growing acceptance that AI can be increasingly leveraged by station groups, it’s clear that AI needs to be used cautiously. This is especially true for TV station groups that are seen as trusted sources of community information, specifically for election news.
According to a May 2024 report from the Swing State Project, a majority of Americans trust local broadcasters more than any other medium to provide election news to communities.
For news orgs that want to experiment with AI, but avoid the “ick” that NewsGPT’s AI newsroom and Channel1’s AI anchors have generated, a more strategic path forward may be to focus on news utility content, not hard news, election coverage or creating computer-generated reporters.
Using verified data sources, development companies like BizBudding can add AI-generated content sections, like real estate, weather and sports, to websites. These AI-generated written summaries can be an affordable and scalable way for publishers to generate helpful content for their communities.
“So far, we’ve had very positive reactions from news customers,” said David Schmeltzle, president of BizBudding. “Using verified data sources, development companies like BizBudding can add AI-generated content sections, like real estate news, weather and traffic alerts, and sports scores to publishers’ websites. These AI-generated written summaries can be an affordable and scalable way for publishers to generate helpful content for their communities.”
According to the SmithGeiger survey, there’s less awareness with older audiences around AI-generated video content, but video can also be a turn-key option for newsrooms. In my TVNewsCheck panel, How To Use AI As A Creative Content Tool at Programming Everywhere at the NAB Show in April, Stringr showcased the company’s new suite of AI-generated video services focused on enhancing news production efforts.
Stringr already has animation templates created around a variety of datasources. Local broadcasters only need to add a location, their station logo, sponsor logo, ad break positions and choose an update frequency.
“We took a very careful approach when developing our AI video services,” says Brian McNeill, co-founder of Stringr. “At Stringr, we’ve gone to great pains to license trusted data sources. With those in place, our video automation can write and voice scripts without hallucinations or concerns about ownership. Ultimately, this opens up the opportunity for journalists to dig in on investigative pieces and not be beholden to creating content that a computer can.”
With the Stringr AI VideoGen suite, Stringr partners create localized automated videos. The suite includes videos for both traditional news areas like traffic, weather and stocks, but also new areas like high school sports scores, real estate listings and even locally adoptable pets from Petfinder. These videos, which can also be sponsored, can then be used in linear O&O streams, added to FAST channel feeds or used as hyperlocal VOD content for audiences.
Navigating The Future Of AI And News: A Balanced Approach For Station Groups
The SmithGeiger survey paints a picture of both a news industry and its audience in transition. While audiences are slowly warming up to AI-generated content, significant challenges remain. For news organizations, the path forward lies in embracing AI’s potential while actively addressing audience concerns and maintaining the valuable trust that they have established in communities.
Here are some key takeaways for industry leaders:
- Transparency is Crucial: Given the high levels of skepticism, being open about AI use in news production is more important than ever. Clear communication about when and how AI is used can help build trust with skeptical audiences.
- Focus on Human-AI Collaboration: Emphasize how AI enhances rather than replaces human journalism. Showcase examples of how AI tools from companies like BizBudding and Stringr assist newsrooms in delivering more hyperlocal and timely news content.
- Address Ethical Concerns: Develop and publicize clear ethical guidelines for AI use in news production. This can help alleviate fears about bias and misinformation.
- Tailor Strategies to Demographics: Given the varied responses across age groups and ethnicities, consider tailoring your AI integration and communication strategies to different audience segments.
- Invest in AI Education: Education about AI’s capabilities and limitations in journalism is important for both staff and audiences. This can help bridge the gap between acceptance and skepticism.
The AI industry is evolving fast. News organizations that stay on top of these changes and adapt accordingly will be better positioned to thrive in the AI-augmented future of journalism.
———
Jon Accarrino is founder of the AI strategy and technology consulting firm Ordo Digital.
Leave a Reply
You must be a logged in member to post a comment.
Log In Register Now