Newsquest

In a year that has been pivotal for artificial intelligence, with both its potential and its risks, our news organisation has embarked on a journey to incorporate it safely into our newsrooms while reaping the benefits of the technology to better serve our audience. Recognising that time is one of the journalist's most valuable resources, and acknowledging the relentless demand for content, we are turning AI into a solution to these enduring challenges.

To this end, we have developed our own AI tool, DotDash News Creator, designed to draft trusted stories from trusted notes - a feat requiring extensive coding, development, expertise, and feedback. This tool is central to our innovative approach, which includes the establishment of a safe 'human-in-the-loop' workflow. This critical step ensures that while we leverage the efficiencies of AI, we do so without compromising the quality and integrity of our journalism.

The cornerstone of our initiative has been the creation of seven 'AI-assisted reporter' roles in a new team, which continues to grow. These roles, a first in the industry, utilise our AI tool within the structured workflow we've established. The impact has been transformative: our AI-assisted reporters are producing high-quality news at an unprecedented rate. This has allowed our traditional reporters to shift their focus to 'human touch' journalism and more in-depth content tailored to our loyal audience, enhancing our overall output of compelling, local news.

One of the most significant outcomes of this initiative is the winning back of time for our traditional reporters. They have more time to return to the field, engaging directly with sources and stories, and focusing on the journalism that resonates with our audience. Our AI-assisted reporters have been instrumental in maintaining our essential and ‘grass roots’ news coverage, allowing reporters to concentrate on exclusive quality content and breaking news, exemplified by our coverage of the Sycamore Gap story. Our AI assistance played a supporting role in election coverage for The Argus, enabling frontline reporters conduct in-depth interviews and get to the heart of the action.

The increase in the quality and volume of community news is another achievement. Our enhanced AI-assisted capabilities mean we can now give voice to a wider spectrum of our community, covering everything from public notices and fundraisers to charity appeals and local business news.

Safety and ethical considerations have been at the forefront of our AI integration. We have built a risk matrix system around different story types to carefully assess and manage the risks associated with certain journalistic contexts. This system is continuously refined, with a rigorous process for logging errors and feedback, ensuring that our AI tool and systems uphold the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

By harnessing the power of AI responsibly, we are helping to redefine the newsroom by freeing up reporters to focus on important stories, enhancing our ability to deliver diverse news content while maintaining our commitment to ethical journalism. This initiative complements our mission to provide excellent journalism that truly connects with and serves our community.