Data journalist Aimee Stanton has recently unveiled an experiment that features ChatGPT, a popular AI tool, being challenged to write an article on NHS A&E waiting times in England. After deconstructing the article, Aimee found that the robot had “fallen dramatically at the first hurdle in becoming a journalist” for its failure to use up-to-date statistics as a source for the article, prompting her to remark that the offence would be considered a sacking offence at the National World news publication.
Aimee then put forward her view that journalists should embrace AI and use it to their advantage, as it has become commonplace in the journalism industry nowadays. ChatGPT then reassured her by revealing that journalism still requires a level of human intuition, creativity and thinking that machines just can’t replicate.
Reach plc, Britain’s largest regional newspaper publisher, is also starting to experiment with the use of chatbots for coverage purposes. The primary focus for Reach plc and similar news publishers is to see if the use of AI tools can help deliver journalist value-adds for reaching audiences faster and more effectively than ever before.
Aimee Stanton is a data journalist working for National World. She is an expert in data research and analysis, as well as investigation and reporting with a particular interest in using data journalism to expose problems and drive change. With her AI challenge, Aimee has shown some of the exciting possibilities that AI can bring to the journalism industry, and how it must be embraced and used to its fullest potential.
