A Shift Amid the Transition: Towards Smarter, More Resilient Digital Journalism in the Age of AI and Disinformation

Abstract

Digital journalism is facing a growing number of challenges as the wave of digital transformation enters a new phase. The changes, both slow and sudden, are making it increasingly necessary for there to be a shift amid the transition. The surge of artificial intelligence (AI) in the journalistic world has ushered in what appears to be a new phase for digitalisation and journalism’s role as a producer of factual information and knowledge in society. Current debates suggest that we are at a critical time to reinvent journalism for the new wave of digital transformation. In this stage, which recently began and which some are calling the Fourth Industrial Revolution, both professionals and academics point to the need to make journalism more resilient, so it can adapt to the changes without losing its basic essence, and more people-centred, helping to support individuals in the age of AI. This article analyses the challenges from the perspectives of both academics and professional journalists, based on their codes of ethics. The methodology used is a content analysis of 45 European ethical codes and the Delphi method, involving experts from the journalistic sector and academia. The results highlight that codes of ethics have not kept pace with these professionally and expert-led debates, as few mention new technologies such as artificial intelligence and they tend to focus more on disinformation and social engagement.