Dr. Mohamed Abdulzaher
In 2019 I coined the term “Artificial Intelligence Journalism” and used it in several academic articles, as well as in the my book titled “Artificial Intelligence Journalism, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Media Restructuring”, published in two languages — Arabic and English.
“Artificial Intelligence Journalism” as a concept refers to the intersection of three parallel revolutions — the new media revolution, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the Artificial Intelligence enabled technology revolution.
Mass media is shifting from the old traditional methods in transferring and broadcasting of media content, powered by human journalists, to the low-cost, instant, global distribution, powered by artificial intelligence ‘journalist’ (ro)bots, algorithms and interfaces. As the speed of the internet crosses the line of a thousand megabytes, we see the use of 3D imaging cameras in a clear and more comprehensive manner, better than anything seen by the naked eye, plus thousands of bots that cover events happening at the most perilous places. In a new scientific study, which will help in pushing further studies in the field of Artificial Intelligence Journalism my new model of communication in artificial intelligence journalism, described in ‘Artificial Intelligence Journalism model communication’ by Dubai-based Artificial Intelligence Journalism for Research and Forecasting, gets validated.
“Abdulzaher’s Artificial Intelligence Journalism Model of Communication is the first global model which is relying on Artificial Intelligence technologies in the media communications process.”
The new model is a theoretical framework that guides and helps many researchers and scholars in the field of artificial intelligence journalism.
All elements of the communication process in “Abdulzaher Artificial Intelligence Journalism Model of Communication” are performing a continuous, direct, circular and interactive role, whether in presence of humans or otherwise that can be replaced by one of technologies of artificial intelligence journalism and Fourth Industrial Revolution. For example, the sender sometimes performs the role of the channel, which sometimes performs role of the receiver as well as the role of the sender (in a tight reciprocal form).
Like when the robot programmed to deliver a specific message (news or advertisement) is considered a sender and at the same time a means of communication to the public, which may turn into a “recipient” that should be updated and programmed with new media messages and content.
In short, there is a big difference between the concept of artificial intelligence, robot and data journalism. No study could present the concept without providing the right tools within mass media to which any kind of scientific studies are applied.
The concept of Artificial Intelligence Journalism cannot be applied in any media organization, without leveraging one of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s technologies, whether that is in pursuit of acquiring, transferring or broadcasting the content. The new and first artificial intelligence journalism model in the world will contribute to reviving media and artificial intelligence studies at several levels:
Analysis and emphasis on a systemic framework completely different from all previous theories and models regarding to the role of artificial intelligence journalism in developing the media industry.
Emphasis on the primary roles of all communication process elements from “Sender, Receiver, Message, Channel, and Feedback” in a new functional framework, adapting with the artificial intelligence journalism era.
Artificial Intelligence Journalism Model of Communication is relying on scientific assumptions, which will be the start of many studies in the field of Artificial Intelligence Journalism. The AI Journalism Model of Communication will contribute to a new understanding of the relationship between the human factor and AI tools and the way to work in the same workfare place.
I hope that the new AI journalism models will open the horizons for many new models and theories in keeping with artificial intelligence journalism concept and the new media revolution. Also, that it contributes in increasing the understanding of the “send role” and accountabilities to choose the best channels to deliver the required content to the target audience.