Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the media is part of the bigger hype around the usage of AI in our everyday life. It seems that it all started with ChatGPT and OpenAI. Was it so?

You may not believe but at CIRCOM Regional we began looking into the AI phenomenon in the years before COVID-19 hit Europe. In the late 10-s we sensed that something is about to happen – the first articles authored by AI appeared on the other side of the Atlantic. Media in Europe began exploring this terra incognita (was it really unknown?). At CIRCOM Regional we did not wait for long. In 2019 the Annual Conference was hosted by RTV (Radio Televizija Vojvodine) in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia under the slogan „FoRM – The Future of Regional Media“. And there was it - we stepped in to the realm of AI.

One of the first insights was on bringing AI in the newsrooms. Jarno Koponen, then Head of AI and Personalization NewsLab at Finland`s, Yle, presented the idea how to create new tools in news media by combining AI and user experience design. Well aware about the severe fight in media for the attention of each and every individual, Jarno Koponen focussed on predictive personalization. He presented the AI-powered news assistant Voitto, and a predictive discovery engine. But he also stressed on the importance to build multidisciplinary diverse teams who would work to understand the technology.

Watch Jarno Koponen`s session

When it comes to getting AI in journalism a major concern was – and still is, how will real journalists and journalism software coexist in a common newsroom habitat. In Novi Sad Robin Govik of the Swedish company Mittmedia, presented his vision on „The Rise of the Robot Reporter“. He spoke about using automation processes to create content and distribute it to users. On the one hand, it was responding to audience`s strife for more local and regional information by applying automation. On the other hand, it was a tryout to draw a fine line between the application of AI and the genuine skills of real journalists. „Robots are not a threat, they are opportunity... If a journalist fears that robots can replace him, that particular person probably can be (replaced). But a robot can not replace an ambitious journalist, a talented journalist. They can make that person`s job easier“, said Robin.

Watch Robin Govik`s presentation (embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QGL7pyZpls)

On the sidelines of 37th Annual Conference there was the BBC`s Blue Room showing „Media Manipulation for good or bad?“ theme exhibition. The team of three - Jacob Markham, Melissa Wood and Shayan Sardarizadeh, presented the latest (as of 2019) technologies in video manipulation. The visual experiments laid bare the top question – if we are approaching a reality where fake videos look as trustworthy as real videos, then how do we know what the truth is? During the next years distinguishing between real visual facts and AI generated images would become central problem. Also, a new ethos of journalism would be in formation.

The COVID-19 pandemia put on hold the discussion around AI. Yet, for those interested, during the Annual Conference in Galway, hosted by TG4, in the lavish bookstore next to the main hall one could easily find a surprise – a book called „A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence“. Just to keep an eye on it.

Did I say COVID paused the AI topic? Well, not exactly. When we came back to it for the Annual Conference in Donostia-San Sebastian it turned out that the years of lock down could not lock creativity. Instead, there was a flurry of ideas that quickly turned in to working projects. The hosts from EITB, the Basque Radio and Television, shaped an extensive session, dedicated to AI driven projects and the plethora on newly coined terms that came with new technologies.

Watch the Innovation and Trends session

Guillaume Kuster, CEO of CheckFirst, de-cyphered the tech buzz words in an eponymous presentation. It was an encompassing endeavour to bring order to the disparate set of emerging terms, that are now entering the audiovisual media - watch his presentation HERE (2:25-18:50 min and from 1:49:55 min)

The presentation of Admire3D project was an example how AI can fit in an environment of digital technologies to give audiences stronger voice in live TV broadcasts thus serving the democracy process in a society. Steinar Bjørlykke of NRK and Francisco Ibáñez of Brainstorm Multimedia presented a mixed reality tech chain, part of which functions by implementing AI, which creates a level playing field for participants in TV studio and viewers, the latter while watching the programme from their home. Watch Admire3D presentation HERE.

It was at the 2024 Annual Conference, hosted by TVP3 Poznan the Polish city of Poznan, when it became obvious that application of AI in media is coming out of age. A whole series of engaging presentations reached out to latest developments of how regional media confidently enter the new era of AI – from editorial practices to using presenter`s avatars to connection with audiences and to providing a philosophical framework of the process as a whole.

Charlie Halford, who is Principal Research Engineer at BBC, UK laid out the opportunities to use AI in workflows and the risks that may exist when using AI for good or bad. In production AI can fulfil both “simple” tasks as re-lighting in a scene for example, to creating video from text stories. ChatGPT opened the door to text generation based on training with large language models. More than that, AI can help getting more audiences. On the other hand, AI can be used to protect people from the negatives of these new technologies. And it is not only misinformation and manipulation, deep fakes and distribution.

Watch Charlie Halford's presentation on re-inventing news workflows

Janneke Bosch, publishing editor from the Netherlands, shared the experience of Omroep Brabant in using data combined with AI in making news items. This is being done on daily basis and AI is being used as editorial tool. It goes from data processing to working on headlines of news materials, to working with text and to improving the prompt and notifications. Interestingly, Janneke pointed out that in working with text AI is just like any other beginner in journalism – it has to be trained to the KISS rule among other things:)

Watch Janneke Bosch`s presentation on using AI as editorial tool

Also based on Omroep Brabant experience Rik Beekwilder faced directly one of the greatest fears of journalists – are we being replaced by “the machines”? Rik spoke about Extra Nina – the AI avatar which reads the news. A product-owner, responsible for the direction of digital platforms and keen on embracing innovation, Rik Beekwilder came up with an answer that is both reassuring for journalists and guiding in to another direction of production of audiovisual news.

Watch Rik Beekwilder`s presentation on the Online AI presenter

Andrea Gerli, head of Digital Information Unit at Italy`s RAI TG1, continued the analysis of audiovisual content. He explored the impact of deep fakes on information. Will media survive the AI era? Especially if AI creates an environment of audiovisual material that can undermine the trust in media and - on a wider scale, the trust in democracy? At one point Andrea showed several videos and challenged the audience – can you guess which one is real and which one is deep fake. The result is curious:)

Watch Andrea Gerli`s presentation on deepfakes and their impact on information

Where and how all this new content lands with our audiences? Satu Keto, Innovation Lead at Finland`s Yleisradio Technology & Development put it straight forward – look at the Generation Alpha! She presented a project that Yle implemented with a focus on the young people born 2010-2024. So, what are their motivation to use media and their consumption habits? Do not forget that this is the first generation which consumes versatile content, existing in close, let`s call it – in dangerous liaisons, with AI.

Watch Satu Keto`s presentation on Generation Alpha as a Completely New Type of Audience Demography in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Algorithms

To wrap up the session Łukasz Mścisławski, prominent researcher and lecturer in Philosophy of Nature at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology in Poland, put the advent of AI in a broader philosophical context, in his words – in a European way of thinking. He raised the important question to what extent the usage of AI can contribute to user`s experience and where are the danger zones when we explore this “new brave world”. Fast processing of data, automation, fast (and agile) production workflows – these are only some of the positives. What lays beyond this?

Watch Łukasz Mścisławski`s presentation on the limits to using AI in journalism?

*** *** ***
CIRCOM Regional adopted a step by step systematic approach to the issue of Artificial Intelligence in media. It began with defining how media can use the strength of “the machines” to perfect existing workflows as well as for input in content creation. Then we tried to sort out “who is who” in the plethora of terms and applications. Next, some of our member stations went from first experiments to fully fledged practices, which are now present throughout the whole process – from initial information to content production and to distribution and communication with our viewers and consumers. The past Annual Conference of CIRCOM Regional showed the potential of these novelties. Of course, we are exploring the strengths and are equally aware of the dangers ahead. But there is the true strength of the big CIRCOM family – we share our experiences, we share what we have learnt by innovating and help each other move forward.