Study: Here's how the rise of AI is affecting the media landscape
The latest study by the think tank W.I.R.E. analyzes the impact of the next phase of digitalization—marked by the rise of generative artificial intelligence and the ChatGPT hype—as the «6th Force,» the promise of immersive business models, and increased awareness of data.
After the first disruption of the media industry since the turn of the millennium, new, far-reaching consequences are emerging: Structural change is accelerating. Traditional journalism is coming under greater pressure. A recent study by the think tank W.I.R.E. has now examined what this means.
The results of the analysis show: The Internet will be flooded with artificially generated texts and images in the near future, and the dominance of technology platforms is expected to increase further. The automatic creation of content would bring more efficiency, but would also lead to a polarization of the media landscape, in which quality-checked content would become chargeable.
Loss of trust in digital channels
According to the study, a fundamental loss of trust in digital channels is said to be emerging above this, partly because the channels for conveying information are subsequently controlled by international corporations.
Media companies and advertisers face the challenge of maintaining their interface with customers and their independence. Central to this is the clarification of the legal basis for the exploitation of content through artificial intelligence, coupled with fair remuneration, but above all the differentiation from the increasingly homogeneous content of digitally generated offerings.
The study presents five fields of action for private and public players in the media world:
1. differentiate or die - To regain trust and credibility, media must invest in journalistic work and thorough research to create unique content that is different from AI-generated content. Instead of relying on headlines to optimize click numbers, conveying context becomes more important.
2. truly social media - Due to their dominance as gatekeepers, there is a growing requirement for big tech companies to live up to their social responsibility.
3. make advertising great again - In the future, advertisers must have credible dialogs with customers and have the courage to differentiate, instead of just aggressively marketing products.
4. strengthen digital sovereignity - The governance of artificial intelligence in private and public media should be developed independently and not wait for a lengthy EU regulatory framework.
5. skill em up - In the environment of more and more artificially generated content, it is important for companies, service public and brands to strengthen the media competence of all population groups, to promote research competence and critical thinking.
The study is based on desk research, the results of 40 interviews with executives and experts from the media industry in the DACH region, and a critical assessment by the authors. In addition, findings from an online survey with almost 100 participants on current trends such as the metaverse and AI were included.
