Collaborating With ChatGPT: Considering the Implications of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Journalism and Media Education

TLDR

Generative artificial intelligence is ushering in a potential transformation of journalism and media content, exemplified by the public release of ChatGPT in 2022. The essay aims to demonstrate ChatGPT’s capacity and limitations while reflecting on its implications for journalism and media education. ChatGPT generates text responses from machine‑learning‑derived knowledge via internet engagement, and the essay is coauthored by a journalism professor collaborating with the model. The essay shows that ChatGPT has both strengths and limitations, highlighting its impact on journalism and media education.

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in an era of potential transformation of journalism and media content. This essay considers one notable generative AI platform called ChatGPT made available to the public in 2022 for free use. ChatGPT allows users to enter text prompts and rapidly generates text responses drawn from its knowledge acquired via machine learning in engagement with the internet. This essay is coauthored by a human journalism and media professor in collaboration with ChatGPT. The essay demonstrates the capacity and limitations of ChatGPT and offers reflections on the implications of generative AI for journalism and media education.