Bhavesh Chhipa
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capacity of a computer or robot to carry out functions often performed by intelligent beings. Artificial intelligence is a sub-discipline of Computer Science that is widely used in Journalism for various purposes. It is referred to as automated journalism, algorithmic journalism, or robot journalism when news reports are generated automatically by computers utilizing artificial intelligence software instead of human reporters. These applications provide data with a human-readable interpretation, arrangement, and presentation. The procedure often entails an algorithm that scans massive amounts of provided data, chooses from various pre-programmed article layouts, arranges vital points, and inserts details like names, places, numbers, ranks, statistics, and other figures. Additionally, the output can be altered to match a particular voice, tone, or style.
Uses of AI in Journalism:
Machine-written Articles: Artificial intelligence can be used to write news and research articles. It can also be used to do in-depth analysis and detect fake news. Currently, Grammarly is available in the market as a cloud-based typing assistant. It analyses the spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity, engagement, and delivery errors in texts written in the English language. Grammarly uses artificial intelligence to identify the problem and find a suitable substitute. Users can also alter their language’s style, tone, and context according to their preferences.
Open AI is also being used to write, edit and proofread articles. It is an artificial intelligence research laboratory that provides services like idea and content generation, translation, conversion, summarization, etc.
Apart from these, QuillBot, Writesonic, Frase, Copy.ai, AI Writer, Hyperwrite, INK, Rytr, Snazzy, Long Shot, and Jasper are also available in the market and are being used for various writing purposes using artificial intelligence.
Transcription:
AI can help journalists through transcribed audio and video interviews. So that journalists can concentrate on gaining insights rather than transcribing audio or video interviews, it turns audio data into text. Nowadays, transcription is also available on mobile phones while talking to any person over a call. While attending an online meeting or webinar, you can also use this feature provided by artificial intelligence for a better understanding of what a speaker is saying.
This speech-to-text technology is known as automated transcription. It eliminates the need for manual procedures, such as having a secretary or note-taker transcribe every word stated in a conference. Instead, technology is used to “listen in,” capture what is said, and transform it into text.
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems, based on artificial intelligence, are typically used in automated transcribing. Both live and recorded, or post-production situations can use these devices. AI can convert recorded or live audio and video into text.
Transcriptions are used in many other contexts, including legal depositions, doctor exams, speeches, and classroom lectures. A live transcript might be crucial in various situations, such as a school environment.
For instance, when live AI-powered transcription is made available to them, a deaf student can participate on an equal footing with peers. This student can collaborate and succeed because the professor’s words and the classroom conversation are graphically communicated. AI-powered transcripts are essential in changing legal settings and other sectors, such as accounting for the rising lack of human stenographers available to support court proceedings.
Controlling bias:
Biases in news reporting are a global issue; journalists cannot deny it. Journalists may have faith in any political or religious ideology, which can be seen in their writings even after making many efforts to reflect that ideology. When a reader or viewer detects the reflection of a particular ideology of a specific journalist in writing, that journalist loses trust. We, humans, are social animals. We can not escape from our beliefs and ideologies. Therefore, bias in reporting is not the fault of any journalist. This problem occurs with most journalists. And fortunately, this problem of biases can be eliminated nowadays using artificial intelligence. Journalists may have emotions, but machines do not have feelings. As a result, articles written by journalists using artificial intelligence will not have any bias. This is how biases can also be controlled in journalism using artificial intelligence.
Anchoring by robots:
Robots have entered the manufacturing, healthcare, and marketing sectors and newsrooms. By using a robot as an “English AI Anchor,” China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency achieved a breakthrough.
On March 3, 2019,an artificial intelligence robot named “Xin Xiaomeng” had a short haircut and was decked up in a pink blouse and earrings for a one-minute video presentation. Xin Xiaomeng was a lifelike robotic news anchor replicating human facial expressions and mannerisms. This robot was used to convey a story about attending an annual parliament conference in Beijing. Xinhua and internet company Sogou Inc. created Xin Xiaomeng, a news anchor avatar based on real-life Xinhua news caster Qu Meng.
In November 2018, two artificial intelligence newscasters from Xinhua appeared at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, an eastern Chinese town.
The author is research scholar at the Central University of Haryana
