Byline: Ex Machina

Abstract

The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) into our daily lives and workplaces, exemplified by the launch of the ChatGPT language model on November 30, 2022, has prompted questions about its role in journalism. Building on Jenny Wiik's (2010) research on the core values of Swedish journalists, this thesis aims to comprehensively understand how AI will impact traditional journalistic ideals in Sweden. Research questions: - How does the use of AI tools in Swedish newsrooms affect investigative and explanatory journalism, as well as the ideal of providing a platform for diverse opinions? - In what ways does the integration of AI tools on Swedish editorial desks influence journalistic objectivity, neutrality, and the aspiration to mirror society? - How do AI tools in Swedish newsrooms impact the ideals of stimulating new thoughts and ideas, offering people immersive experiences, and providing entertainment in journalism? The theoretical framework is grounded in Wiik's insights, focusing on the core values that define Swedish journalism (Wiik, 2010). To achieve this aim, we employed a qualitative research approach, conducting eight semi-structured interviews with Swedish editors and other editorial managers. This method was chosen to capture nuanced perspectives on the evolving relationship between AI and journalism. The participants shared their insights on the challenges and opportunities AI presents to journalistic ideals. Our results indicate that AI is a force to be reckoned with in the journalistic world, challenging many of the established ideals we investigated. However, amidst the potential of AI, the need for human insight and experience remains crucial. Interestingly, some of our findings suggest that rather than diminishing the role of human journalists, AI has highlighted and, in some cases, increased the demand for their (our) unique cognitive abilities. This paradoxical outcome underscores the enduring significance of human-driven journalism, even in the face of technological innovation.