Over the weekend, I experienced a mix of emotions as I stumbled upon an article shared by my former university mates. It featured a quote from one of our fellow alumni asserting that AI would not fully replace journalist roles.
While I respect their perspective, I must respectfully disagree based on my own personal encounter with the AI takeover.
In the year 2020, I found myself caught in the clutches of AI simulation, as my position within Microsoft's MSN was abruptly eliminated and replaced by bots.
It was a disheartening realization that my expertise and contributions were being overshadowed by automated systems.
To add insult to injury, in the months leading up to our contract termination, we were ironically tasked with teaching the AI how to navigate and operate the very system that would ultimately render us obsolete.
What struck me as particularly unjust was the discrepancy in treatment between the Australian editors and their Indian counterparts.
While our contracts were unceremoniously terminated, the Indian contractors managed to retain their positions solely due to their lower cost of hire.
This blatant cost-cutting measure only further solidified my belief that AI's encroachment into journalism will inevitably lead to the displacement of human journalists, leaving behind junior editors whose primary function is to feed the insatiable AI algorithms with relevant inputs.
Even before the emergence of advanced language models like ChatGPT, I could foresee the ominous presence of AI lurking on the horizon, ready to reshape the journalistic landscape.
The events of 2020 served as a stark reminder that this transformation is not a distant possibility, but a harsh reality that has already affected countless individuals within the industry.
While I remain optimistic about the potential of AI in certain applications, I cannot deny the apprehension and concern it brings when it comes to the future of journalism.
It is my hope that we can engage in meaningful discussions and proactive measures to ensure a symbiotic coexistence between AI and human journalists, preserving the invaluable human touch and critical thinking that defines the essence of quality journalism.
In conclusion, my personal experience serves as a poignant testament to the growing influence of AI in the field of journalism, signaling a paradigm shift that demands our attention and collective response.
The AI revolution is no longer a distant concept—it has already made its mark, leaving us to ponder the profound implications it holds for the future of our profession.
June Ramli is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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