The Transformation of News Editors After the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59888/ajosh.v4i5.681Keywords:
Journalist, Artificial Intelligence, News Editor, Mass Media, Journalistic Code of EthicsAbstract
This research explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in newsroom environments and its impact on the behavioral changes of journalists, particularly at the news editor level. The adoption of generative AI in mass media continues to grow in line with the rapid advancement of digital technology globally. The application of AI in journalistic work—such as news gathering, writing, editing, and distribution—has had significant effects on media professionals. This research aims to examine in depth news editors' perspectives on the use of AI in the newsroom and the behavioral transformations that result from it. The study adopts an interpretive paradigm, with a qualitative approach and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as its research strategy. It uses concepts from technological determinism, diffusion of innovations theory, and journalistic ethics as analytical tools to better understand the phenomena experienced by the research participants. The findings reveal three key aspects of transformation among news editors following the integration of AI in newsroom practices: changes in work routines, the meaning attributed to AI in journalism, and the evolving competencies of news editors. AI technology is viewed as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for news editors. While technical functions such as writing SEO-based articles, checking language structure, and conducting issue research can be performed by AI, editorial decisions and final editing remain the responsibility of human editors. In conclusion, the study highlights news editors' responses and interpretations of AI use, with their transformation marked by increased work efficiency.
References
Benson, Chigozie Emmanuel, Okolo, Chinelo Harriet, & Oke, Olatunji. (2025). Exploring the impact of AI on traditional journalism: Conceptualizing the future of news reporting and media integrity in an AI-driven world. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies, 5(3), 2523–2529.
Croucher, S. M., & Cronn-Mills, D. (2023). Understanding communication research methods: A theoretical and practical approach (4th ed.). Routledge.
Dewi, SS, & Hastjarjo, S. (2024, December). Journalists' perceptions of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in news production: A case study of local journalists in Surakarta. Journal of Mass Communication, 17 (2), 95–102. https://jurnal.uns.ac.id/kom/
Firdaus, A., Aksar, IA, Gong, J., Zainal Abidin, MZ, Baloch, HUR, & Gomez, E. (2025). Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) for journalism studies: Making sense of journalists' sense-making of digital disruptions. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24 , 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241309274
Hall, S., & Liebenberg, L. (2024). Qualitative description as an introductory method to qualitative research for Master's-level students and research trainees. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 23 , 1–5.
Indonesian Cyber Media Association. (2024, August 29). https://amsi.or.id/kabar/detail/767/5-media-companies-utilize-ai-for-efficiency-without-replacing-the-performer-of-journalists
Iskandar, D. (2018). Media convergence (1st ed.). Andi Publisher.
Kronblad, Charlotta, & Jensen, Søren Henning. (2023). ‘Being a professional is not the same as acting professionally’—How digital technologies have empowered the creation and enactment of a new professional identity in law. Journal of Professions and Organization, 10(2), 99–119.
Lim, W. M. (2024). What is qualitative research? An overview and guidelines. Australasian Marketing Journal, 31 (1).
Masduki, Masduki, Prastya, Narayana Mahendra, Yusuf, Iwan Awaluddin, & Ningsih, Ida Nuraini D. K. (2024). Understanding business model of digital journalism in Indonesia. Kajian Jurnalisme, 8(1), 1–14.
Munoriyarwa, Allen, & de-Lima-Santos, Mathias Felipe. (2025). Generative AI and the Future of News: Examining AI’s Agency, Power, and Authority. Journalism Practice, 19(10), 2177–2188.
Møller, L. A., Van Dalen, A., & Skovsgaard, M. (2025). A little of that human touch: How regular journalists redefine their expertise in the face of artificial intelligence. Journalism Studies, 26 (1), 84–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2024.2412212
Nguyen, Dennis, & Hekman, Erik. (2024). The news framing of artificial intelligence: a critical exploration of how media discourses make sense of automation. AI & Society, 39(2), 437–451.
Noain Sánchez, Amaya. (2022). Addressing the impact of artificial intelligence on journalism: The perception of experts, journalists and academics.
Serdouk, A., & Bessam, A.C. (2022). Bots in newsrooms: What future for human journalists? Media Watch, 14 (1), 100–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/09760911221130816
Shi, Zhefeng, Wei, Xukai, Zheng, Ruwen, Cheng, Bo, & Wang, Yuxiang. (2025). Does green fiscal policy promote the sustainable development of urban economic benefits?——Using twofold difference model analysis. Exploring Science Academic Conference Series, 6, 10–20.
Sujono, FK (2025, February). Journalism amidst the rise of artificial intelligence. Liputan6.com. https://www.liputan6.com/opini/read/5921138/opini-jurnalisme-di-tengah-kebangkitan-pemanfaatan-artificial-intelligence?page=2
Yoedtadi, MGG, Ronda, AM, & Wahid, U. (2024). Issues in television and social media convergence process. ProTVF, 8 (1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.24198/ptvf.v8i1.49150
Yu, Y., & Huang, K. (2021, April). Friend or foe? Human journalists' perspectives on artificial intelligence in Chinese media outlets. Chinese Journal of Communication, 14 (4), 409–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/17544750.2021.1915832
Zotto, C. D., & Lugmayr, A. (2016). Media convergence as evolutionary process. Media Business and Innovation, 1 , 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54484-2_1
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ana Noviani, Agnes Yusuf, Dedi Prasetia, Siti Retno Wulandari
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
