Newsroom Automation: Exploring The Implications Of Conversational Artificial Intelligence In Pakistani Media

Abstract

The increasing tendency of conversational artificial intelligence (CAI) has raised curiosity among media industries globally about its transformational ability to automate newsrooms. Similarly, in Pakistan, media professionals have started to explore the practicality of CAI for automating newsroom functions. This study examines the importance of CAI adoption in Pakistani media through a structured survey of 202 media professionals working in various forms of[1] media across Pakistan—such as print, television, radio, and digital media—to collect data the study focuses on how CAI is used to automate core processes such as news gathering and audience engagement and the challenges of implementing CAI technologies. The findings of the study reveal that newsrooms are using CAI mainly through chatbots, which has generally improved efficiency and productivity in the newsroom. Along with these benefits, significant ethical concerns are also raised, primarily with data privacy and the potential for algorithmic bias. In addition, several challenges associated with infrastructure and a demand for a greater number of specialized skills are continuous issues for the broader implementation of CAI. These findings underscore the need for a strategic approach to integrating CAI that prioritizes not just operational advantages but also ethical and infrastructural needs.