Artificial Intelligence in Newsrooms: A Boon for Corporates, Help for Journalists, Bane for Readers

Jayapriyanka J

Abstract: The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into newsrooms marks a paradigm shift in contemporary journalism, reshaping editorial practices, economic models, professional identities, and democratic functions. This paper critically examines AI in journalism through the lens of its uneven consequences-positioning AI simultaneously as a boon for corporate news organizations, a practical aid for journalists, and a potential bane for readers. Drawing on global case studies, empirical research, and interdisciplinary theory, the study analyzes how AI technologies-ranging from machine learning and natural language processing to computer vision and optimization systems-reconfigure both the flow of money and the flow of information in news ecosystems. The findings demonstrate that AI enhances efficiency, scalability, and personalization, supporting newsroom sustainability and innovation, particularly under financial strain. However, these gains are accompanied by significant risks, including heightened dependence on major technology platforms, opaque decision-making, ethical vulnerabilities, labor tensions, and indirect distortions of editorial agendas through analytics and recommendation systems. While journalists generally view AI as useful for automating routine tasks, they remain deeply skeptical of its role in judgment, verification, and ethical decision-making, reinforcing the necessity of hybrid human?AI workflows. The paper further reveals that AI complicates audience trust and news consumption in non-linear ways, shaped by ideological alignment and cognitive ?machine heuristics.? Cross-national comparisons highlight that AI adoption is profoundly shaped by political, cultural, and regulatory contexts, exacerbating global inequalities in journalistic capacity. Overall, the study argues that AI is not merely a technological upgrade but a structural force redistributing power, agency, and accountability in journalism. It concludes that the future of democratic journalism depends on responsible AI governance, transparency, algorithmic literacy, and value-driven integration that prioritizes public interest over purely corporate optimization.

Keywords: artificial intelligence in journalism, newsroom automation, algorithmic governance, audience trust, media ethics

How to Cite?: Jayapriyanka J, "Artificial Intelligence in Newsrooms: A Boon for Corporates, Help for Journalists, Bane for Readers", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1174-1180, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251215210730, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251215210730