AI-fuelled developments

A little more than halfway through a very difficult 2024 and Australian news outlets are starting to reveal some of their efforts in adopting GenAI technology to boost output or audience forecasting.

Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby told an investors' briefing in May this year that the Domain property website had adopted AI-powered editorial assistants which could increase page views fourfold 'by using AI to compile research and data sources. The technology boosted content productivity from [producing] 1-2 stories per week to 6-8.'

Nine also rolled out 9Express in March this year, using a Google VertexAI application developed out of an internal AI-themed hackathon at the network. 9Express re-writes TV stories by Nine journalists into news articles, adding that the story "Is checked again by a producer before being published. All 9Express stories carry the notation; 'This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.'

Nine has previously confirmed it is in negotiations with major AI firms, including Google to train an LLM on its content. A month after the investors briefing where he detailed AI developments at Domain and 9Express, Nine announced job cuts of up to 200 jobs across its publishing divisions, blaming a weaker advertising market and the conclusion of the Meta deal.

Seven West has also adopted ideas from an AI-themed hackathon, with a three-week concept development event called Ignite producing more than 60 product ideas, with software engineers working with sports journalists, commercial teams and other staff.

Seven West's efforts appear to be focussed on audience and advertising, with the network revealing it is using predictive intelligence to forecast audience viewing numbers up to a month in advance. Stage one of three predicting audience numbers up to a week in advance, is already in place after Seven West ran a 'seven-day rolling prediction of audience figures,' which achieved accuracy above expectations. Seven is working with AI data specialists DataBricks on rolling out the three stages, which will culminate in the one month audience prediction.

The ABC published an AI statement of principles in late June, holding staff 'accountable for any ABC content created using AI,' and promising to 'inform our audiences about how we are using AI technologies,' as well as mitigating bias. Earlier this year, a leaked internal email revealed the ABC is planning its own LLM (Large Language Model), and also announcing that the ABC's Innovation Lab is testing out 'pilots using AI', according to the report. Citing 'security, legal and editorial risks,' the ABC also warned staff against using their ABC accounts to access ChatGPT or Midjourney.

News Corp has been busy on the AI front, updated its editorial policy on March 20 this year to add nine AI-related conditions. These include prohibiting staff uploading content to AI platforms without seeking permission first.

Miguel D'Souza, CMT researcher