Artificial Intelligence and The Future of Journalism: Trust, Ethics and Audience Perception in Malaysia
Kata kunci:
AI Journalism, Trust, Ethics, Audience Perception, Malaysian MediaAbstrak
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism is growing rapidly, changing the way news is produced, distributed and consumed. AI supports a range of tasks including writing, editing, transcribing, translating, fact-checking and creating multimedia content. Tools such as ChatGPT and Bard are now widely used in newsrooms to improve efficiency and manage large volumes of information (Yuan et al., 2024; Caswell, 2022). However, the use of AI also raises concerns about ethics, accuracy, transparency and source reliability (Gutiérrez-Caneda et al., 2024; Noain Sánchez, 2022; Sonni et al., 2024). AI-generated content can contain errors, misleading information or false references. This study focuses on audience reaction of AI-generated news through online platforms. Specifically, it examines how audiences perceive and assess AI-generated news in terms of trust and credibility, as well as its impact on journalistic practice and skills and their expectations of news quality in the digital media ecosystem. A key research gap is the limited empirical study on AI in Malaysian journalism, regarding AI’s ability to handle the Malay language, sensitivity to local context and coverage across different news genres. Most studies have focused on Western contexts, leaving Southeast Asia including Malaysia, underexplored. To address this gap, the study uses focus group discussions (FGDs) involving media practitioners, academics and young audiences from Generation Z, allowing interactive dialogue and diverse viewpoints. Thematic analysis is used to identify key patterns and findings (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Krueger & Casey, 2009; Morgan, 1997). The results provide insights into how Malaysian audiences interpret and judge AI-generated news compared to content written by professional journalists. By combining audience perspectives and expert opinions in direct comparisons between AI and human-produced news, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of AI-driven journalism in Malaysia. The findings also offer guidance for media practice, policy and the ethical use of AI, supporting responsible and audience-focused journalism in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
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