But even when the use of AI is encouraged, its use comes with limits, and those limits vary from workplace to workplace.
Rules for use
Speaking to Reuters, Barrett said there is a set of AI principles that all journalists must follow and a corporate policy that covers the use of AI in all uses of data and tools across the organization.
“News photos must show the reality of what happened in front of the camera, so there is a rule that generative AI cannot be used to create or edit visuals,” she said. “Every tool we create and endorse for broader use is based on taking source material, creating content and analysis from it, and, importantly, checking it for veracity before publication. Everything must adhere to our tone and standards.”
Barrett said that at Reuters, all reporters and photojournalists are responsible for everything they publish. “If we find that AI is being used irresponsibly, we have a chain of custody through our editorial system so we can track where it was misused,” she said.
At Reuters, we're trying to stay ahead of the curve in a world where AI is rapidly being incorporated into almost everything. However, not all organizations have the resources to do so.
For many of the people Savannah Jenkins works with, AI is seen as a direct threat to business. Jenkins is the communications manager at Onja, a social enterprise in Madagascar that trains underprivileged youth to become software developers. “This is one of the poorest countries in the world, and students will be able to support their families and lift themselves out of poverty by finding employment after the program,” Jenkins said. “AI is a direct threat to entry-level programmers, and businesses must adapt to this threat.”
Still, she acknowledged that overall there is general acceptance that AI is here to stay and could even benefit smaller organizations. “As a communications professional working in the nonprofit space, there are many tools available to help small, under-resourced teams do more, especially when it comes to content development,” she said. “For example, Canva’s AI-powered tools allow us to deliver high-quality graphics even for small outfits.”
The fluid future of AI
The point is that we are in a period of experimentation, with very new technologies still being developed and being tried out in new and untested ways.
This causes all kinds of worries for people like Barrett.
“I'm worried that someone will steal our lead,” she said. “Another publisher, a competitor, and perhaps one of the AI companies is coming up with an incredible AI-powered news service or product that will damage our business, our industry, and the democracy of our knowledgeable people.”
She also worries that someone could use tools that have not been properly tested and inadvertently leak information from Reuters that should not be made available to the public.
Her concerns are not limited to internal use at Reuters. “I also worry about people using AI tools to get into arguments or have compulsive conversations,” she said. “There is growing evidence that sycophants and attempts to attract users to chatbots can have very negative consequences for businesses.”
Questions to consider:
1. Why is the use of AI in business inconsistent?
2. Why is it important for businesses and nonprofits to have policies regarding the use of AI?
3. Are you ready to leverage AI in any job you may have in the future?
