According to the New York Post, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson has issued a warning that the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) could have a detrimental impact on journalism. Thomson expressed concerns about AI programs that can appropriate exclusive content or divert advertising revenue away from publications designated as “blacklisted.”
“Our collective IP [intellectual property] is under threat” from AI,” he said.
Thomson delivered his remarks during the International News Media Association’s World Congress in New York. Thomson emphasized that the intellectual property of the industry as a whole is at risk due to AI developments. He specifically highlighted two main issues: the unauthorized collection and utilization of content to train AI algorithms and the likelihood of individual stories being prioritized in specific search results.
“Firstly, our content is being harvested, scraped, and otherwise ingested to train AI engines. Secondly, individual stories will be surfaced in specific searches. And, thirdly, our content will be synthesized and presented as distinct when it is actually an extracting of editorial essence,” he added.
Thomson identified the significant financial challenges and the unpredictable macroeconomic climate as factors that necessitate media companies to streamline their operations. He criticized organizations like the “Global Disinformation Index” and similar entities for discouraging advertisers from partnering with publishers that are accused of sharing “disinformation” in their stories.
It was reported that the Global Disinformation Index, which operates in the UK and has affiliates in the US, has compiled confidential lists of conservative media outlets to hinder their access to advertising funds.
“No masthead is immune to sudden, capricious changes in algorithmic ranking that can affect your ad revenue,” he said.
News agencies such as the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, the New York Times, the BBC, and Thomson Reuters have begun integrating AI into their news processes.
