The prevailing narrative around AI in journalism frames automation as suitable mainly for “grunt work” – repetitive, low-stakes newsroom tasks. Yet, two award-shortlisted IBC2025 technical papers challenge this assumption in practice. Izzy Benham investigates.
The “AI for grunt work” assumption extends beyond just workplace conversation; It is also reflected in resource allocation strategy and audience responses to AI in the news. This year, 93% of publishers were found to use AI for workflow automation, with only 4-5% focused on fact-checking or verification. Equally, a Reuters report noted that only 36% of readers are comfortable with AI-produced news, with trust dropping further on sensitive topics like politics, crime and local reporting.
Together, these trends demonstrate the prevalence of the assumption amongst professionals and audiences alike. This framing can hardly be construed as innocuous when it dictates what tasks are targeted, how pilots are resourced, and where organisations are placing their bets. Additionally, when looking closely at different applications of AI in the newsroom, the accuracy of this assumption is not entirely clear...
You are not signed in
Only registered users can read the rest of this article.
MWC 2026: Telcos confront the hard economics of 5G
With global 5G coverage now surpassing 50% of the world’s population, but consumer willingness to pay barely shifting, operators at MWC argued that the next chapter must be defined by utilisation.
Kickstart Day 2026: Latest PoCs and partnerships promise most exciting year yet
More than 200 industry leaders gathered at BBC Broadcasting House for the 2026 IBC Accelerators Kickstart Day, taking place on 25 February.
MIP London: “A lot of creators feel held hostage by algorithms”
Digital creators, television producers, platforms, distributors, buyers, and brands across all genres gathered at the IET and Savoy Hotel this week to attend the second-ever iteration of MIP in London.
Sundance: Representation matters, today more than ever
As minority communities face attack in the US, two new films screened at Sundance Film Festival offer powerful takes on Latino American and Chicano culture.
IBC Content Everywhere: Keeping the customer
Consumers have a lot of choices these days when it comes to streaming video content. Indeed, the sheer number of available services can seem overwhelming, leaving customers with often difficult decisions to make about which services to choose, especially when they already have several other demands on their wallets. In this piece, Content Everywhere companies explore what streaming providers can and should be doing to retain existing customers and attract new ones where possible.
