Image courtesy of Rex Features.

 

In recent years, chatbots and virtual assistants have become increasingly popular for their ability to provide quick and efficient responses to a wide range of questions. One of the most advanced examples of this technology is ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. One of the primary concerns about ChatGPT is its potential to spread misinformation. Because the language model is based on a massive database of text and is trained to generate responses based on patterns and correlations, there is a risk that it may generate inaccurate or misleading information. This risk is particularly high when it comes to topics that are controversial or complex, such as politics, health, or science. In some cases, ChatGPT may provide responses that are factually incorrect or biased, which could lead to widespread confusion and even harm. ChatGPT is undoubtedly an impressive technological achievement, there are growing concerns about the potential dangers associated with its use.

 

Chat GPT generated the opening to this article. The implications that the software has for creative professions has yet to be properly realised. Reading this description, I can’t see any tells that can easily demonstrate if a person wrote this or not – and I doubt you can either.

 

With the rise of Open AI’s ability to write readable and publishable copy, there will be fewer entry-level jobs available for those who are looking to break into the media industry. For example, positions like research and copyediting are at risk of being made obsolete due to Open Artificial Intelligence’s potential to automate these jobs.

 

Another threat that open AI poses to the rights of working journalists is explained by Jenna Burell, director of research at Data & Society in the latest Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting webinar. “Everything you’ve written as a journalist that’s out there publicly is dumped into OpenAI’s tool,” Burell explains. “You have this copyrighted work that you’ve published as a journalist that informs that model, and you don’t get compensated for that. I don’t think copyright law is really up to the task at this moment.”

 

An example of this taking place has already happened at CNET, a tech journalism outlet. CNET admitted to using Open AI to assist in writing their articles regarding financial articles. The online media outlet Futurism then reported that CNET’s use of AI not only made mistakes but substantially plagiarised many other journalists’ articles.

 

Journalism is a profession that has long been inequitable. The Guardian reported in 2018 that in the UK some fifty one percent of leading journalists and eighty percent of editors are privately educated. When looking at the Irish media landscape one can point out a similar trend. Many of the biggest household names in Irish media come from backgrounds that are not represented in the average Irish person’s social class. Ryan Tubridy, who promotes himself with an ‘every man’ image, attended the elite fee-paying school, Blackrock College. Other notable media personalities with backgrounds beyond the ordinary range from Bláthnaid Ní Choffaigh (Coláiste Íosagán) to Ivan Yates (St. Columba’s College). To contextualise this phenomenon, the Irish Times reported in 2022 that just over six percent of Irish students in total attend fee-paying schools. Unfortunately, there are many more names that could be added to this list. For brevity’s sake I can say that a few Google searches will tell you that there is a disproportionate number of private school alumni represented in the Irish media.

 

With the advent of media jobs being lost to open AI software, the media profession will become even more competitive and less accessible to individuals from working class backgrounds. Career advice website TheIrishStudent.ie states that the current entry level salary for a journalist amounts to 20,000 euro per annum. The Living Wage Ireland organisation states that the annual living wage in Ireland is calculated at 28,162 euro. This disparity between these two figures is detrimental for budding journalists who do not have their income supplemented by their parents.

 

As fewer jobs become available for new journalists, competition for these roles will increase dramatically. Fewer roles in the media means that the media landscape will encounter a lack of coverage on issues of local, national, and international prominence. While Open AI can generate copy, produce interview questions and edit articles, it cannot break stories.

 

Equally important is the fact that as fewer jobs become available due to the advent of AI generated journalism, there will be a marked decrease in the diversity of backgrounds in the media. Less hiring opportunities and increased competition means that those who don’t have the means to work for ‘exposure’ or participate in unpaid internships in the media will be at an even greater disadvantage than they already are. Having work experience in the media when applying for jobs as an entry level journalist gives you an immediate opportunity over your competition, presenting a huge advantage for those who can afford to work for free. This combination of fewer roles and more competition will result in the media landscape becoming even more biased towards those who come from wealthier backgrounds. Journalism has always been a rich man’s game – Chat GPT and its like will only exacerbate this disparity.