Inside the quiet takeover of local journalism by AI

AI may still feel like a novelty in some corners of media, but in local newsrooms it’s quickly becoming part of the daily workflow. A new analysis shows that nearly 1 in 10 newspaper articles nationwide now contain some AI-generated text — with small-town papers leaning on the technology the most. The appeal is obvious: fewer reporters, tighter budgets, and endless meetings to cover. But as the Chicago Sun-Times learned the hard way, AI mistakes carry a different sting. The real test ahead isn’t whether newsrooms use AI, but whether they use it responsibly and transparently.

Editor’s Note: our daily edition would not be possible without efficiencies gained from the use of AI. And while much of our content is touched by AI, none of it is exclusively generated by AI, and all our content is curated and cleared by a real person. As the roll-out of our updated platform continues, we’ll be adding touches of transparency, too, so you can better understand what you’re seeing.

Pete Pachal

Fast Company

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