Is AI a curse or a blessing? 

World Press Freedom Canada will host a symposium on Parliament Hill on Nov. 6 to explore the influence of artificial intelligence on press freedom. 

We’ll identify the threats AI presents to journalists and news organizations, while considering the opportunities it creates to enhance in-depth reporting in an era of declining resources. 

Just some of the experts who will join us that day: 

• Hugo Larochelle, scientific director at MILA, Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute.
• Craig Silverman, an independent researcher, who will discuss the way AI can turbocharge the spread of mis/disinformation.
• Nikita Roy, a data scientist and journalist who hosts the “Newsroom Robots” podcast, will explore the potential rewards and risks of this transformative technology. 

The stakes could not be higher. A Sept. 16 report from the Centre for Economic Policy Research in Britain warned that AI poses a serious danger to fact-based journalism. 

“Artificial intelligence tools can now produce highly realistic text, images and videos at almost no cost,” the report noted. “The proliferation of fabricated content may mean mainstream news outlets lose both the trust and demand of their audience.” 

Others worry AI could replace reporters in the production of basic news stories. 

Meanwhile, AI platforms are “scraping the internet” to produce news reports — extraction that undermines copyright and intellectual property protections. Google’s decision to respond to searches with AI-sourced information without crediting original sources poses yet another blow to media outlets. 

AI is not only a threat, of course. A report published on World Press Freedom Day for the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe highlighted the ways AI can strengthen journalism. 

For example, AI can be used to process data, transcribe speeches and interviews and other mundane tasks. The UNRIC report noted that offloading the drudge leaves journalists to focus on investigative reporting, fact checking and narrative storytelling.

Stay tuned for registration details to our Artificial Intelligence and the Press – Threats and Opportunities event.