Wonders Never Cease: More AI Tools to Aid the Journalistic Process

There is no question we are on the cusp of an artificial intelligence revolution. The text-generating AI model ChatGPT is currently dominating headlines—and even more now that OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research laboratory which created it, has launched GPT-4, an update that allows users to provide both image and text inputs. The update also “exhibits human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks,” according to the developers.

There are indeed ways in which journalists can use ChatGPT constructively, as we’ve explored in other pieces. For instance, AI can serve as a valuable time-saving tool due to its ability to sum up large amounts of text and data. AI can translate entire articles into another language immediately, though its translation abilities are still fairly basic. AI can even help journalists with menial tasks such as generating headlines or email subject lines or body text.

But AI can prove valuable to journalists in other ways that could help them navigate this new environment responsibly. Here are just some of the ways.

AI CAN HELP WITH RESEARCH AND REPORTING

There is no doubt that conducting research is a big part of a journalist’s job and the newsgathering and reporting process can take quite a bit of time. Now journalists can save valuable time with Audemic, a tool that can generate an audio version of a text, access an overview, skip to specific and pertinent sections, listen to audio, highlight information, and speed up the note-taking process. Information gathering becomes easier, which leads into the next point.

AI CAN STREAMLINE INFORMATION GATHERING

The most successful journalists have excellent newsgathering skills and secure interviews with credible sources. Researching and finding information can take a lot of time—especially if you’re dealing with complicated data sets. A free tool called new/s/leak, short for “NetWork of Searchable Leaks,” uses language technology and visualizations to help journalists analyze large datasets and identify relevant material at a much faster and more effective pace. It is similar to DMINR, a project from the University of London that aims to help journalists research and verify news stories.

AI CAN HELP JOURNALISTS GENERATE LEADS

Journalists will have an easier time monitoring events and topics in real time thanks to AI tools like NewsWhip, which tracks audience interests and changes in interests over time. The official website states that the program “predicts the stories and topics that will matter in the hours ahead, giving communications professionals the clarity they need for quick and confident decisions.” Another option is Factmata, which uses “social media listening AI to identify the narratives and influencers behind new brand risks, and opportunities.”

AI CAN MAKE TAGGING AND ARCHIVING EASIER

Keyword tagging is the process of using words and phrases to name an article's or section's key concepts for search and retrieval purposes. Keyword tags (and broader tags) make it easier for businesses to get their content in front of more people and for search engines to rank sites higher in search results. When content is tagged incorrectly, valuable information can be lost in a database. Varia is an AI tool that offers you the opportunity to “follow important news sources, to organize your bookmarks, notes, files & contacts all in one place, and to supercharge your online research efficiency with machine learning based insights.”

AI CAN DO WONDERS FOR ACCESSIBILITY

Eleven Labs is AI that can convert written text into natural speech. “Powered by our proprietary deep learning model, the tool lets you voice anything from a single sentence to a whole book in impeccable quality, at a fraction of the time and cost traditionally involved in recording,” declares the AI program’s official website. Another is Trint, which can transcribe audio and video in multiple languages. Those with hearing loss also benefit. While YouTube offers free captioning capabilities, the AI model Descript ups the ante and promises to “make video recording, editing, and collaboration as easy as docs and slides.”