The implementation of artificial intelligence techniques and tools in the media will systematically and continuously alter their work and that of their professionals during the coming decades. To this end, this article carries out a systematic review of the research conducted on the implementation of AI in the media over the last two decades, particularly empirical research, to identify the main social and epistemological challenges posed by its adoption. For the media, increased dependence on technological platforms and the defense of their editorial independence will be the main challenges. Journalists, in turn, are torn between the perceived threat to their jobs and the loss of their symbolic capital as intermediaries between reality and audiences, and a liberation from routine tasks that subsequently allows them to produce higher quality content. Meanwhile, audiences do not seem to perceive a great difference in the quality and credibility of automated texts, although the ease with which texts are read still favors human authorship. In short, beyond technocentric or deterministic approaches, the use of AI in a specifically human field such as journalism requires a social approach in which the appropriation of innovations by audiences and the impact it has on them is one of the keys to its development. Therefore, the study of AI in the media should focus on analyzing how it can affect individuals and journalists, how it can be used for the proper purposes of the profession and social good, and how to close the gaps that its use can cause.

Fake news y coronavirus: detección de los principales actores y tendencias a través del análisis de las conversaciones en Twitter

The Internet and social networks have become the most attractive and accessible information channel for young people. Objectives. Examine the behavior of university students when facing fake news and their opinion on this phenomenon. Methodology. Semi-open surveys conducted mainly for Journalism students from the University of the Basque Country. In a second phase, the study was extended to students from other areas of knowledge. Results. Online media use is commonplace for university students and a high percentage of them confess to have been fooled by fake news on at least one occasion. Conclusions and discussion. The students consider they have a high rate of alert when facing fake news. There are some differences, according to the area of knowledge, of the subjects that they consider more invaded by the fake news.

Memes políticos difundidos por usuarios de Twitter. Análisis de la jornada electoral del 26J de 2016

This study examines journalists’ perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on disinformation, a growing concern in journalism due to the rapid expansion of generative AI and its influence on news production and media organizations. Using a quantitative approach, a structured survey was administered to 504 journalists in the Basque Country, identified through official media directories and with the support of the Basque Association of Journalists. This survey, conducted online and via telephone between May and June 2024, included questions on sociodemographic and professional variables, as well as attitudes toward AI’s impact on journalism. The results indicate that a large majority of journalists (89.88%) believe AI will considerably or significantly increase the risks of disinformation, and this perception is consistent across genders and media types, but more pronounced among those with greater professional experience. Statistical analyses reveal a significant association between years of experience and perceived risk, and between AI use and risk perception. The main risks identified are the difficulty in detecting false content and deepfakes, and the risk of obtaining inaccurate or erroneous data. Co-occurrence analysis shows that these risks are often perceived as interconnected. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted concerns of journalists regarding AI’s role in the information ecosystem.

Las redes sociales han venido a revolucionar la forma de consumo de información pero también la forma en la que el periodismo se adapta a nuevos públicos y a nuevas maneras de acceder a esa información. Para conocer cómo se utilizan estas aplicaciones sociales desde dentro de los medios, se confeccionó un cuestionario, desde la perspectiva de género, que se aplicó a los profesionales de los medios de comunicación del País Vasco diferenciando entre grupos de edades, haciendo especial hincapié en las generaciones centenials y milenials. Los resultados de las más de 500 encuestas nos muestran un panorama donde el uso de las redes sociales está plenamente asentado en las redacciones de los medios de comunicación pero donde no encontramos especiales sesgos generacionales en el uso de las principales herramientas sociales. Por su parte, las mujeres periodistas son las que emplean mayoritariamente las redes sociales y las más utilizadas son Twitter, Facebook e Instagram en detrimento de otras como Telegram, Linkedin o diferentes recursos audiovisuales. El desconocimiento y la desconfianza son las principales causas de la primacía de unas sobre otras.