Will AI replace News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists?

Many of your tasks are within reach of AI. The role will change, so it pays to act now.

Task exposure to today's AI

50/100

High exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 50% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: revise work to meet editorial approval or to fit time or space requirements. The parts that stay human include: Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.; Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.; Present news stories, and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

Revise work to meet editorial approval or to fit time or space requirements.AI already used 75%

Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers. 72%

Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members. 68%

Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information. 60%

Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience. 42%

Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events. 33%

+ 24 more tasks (59% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.
Present news stories, and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for writing and ideasImage and video generators (e.g. Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Runway)Editing tools with AI (Adobe, CapCut, Descript)

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

AI in your craft

Ideas, drafts and variations with AI.
Editing, retouching and transcription with AI features.
Keep your own voice and style; AI is the assistant.

Project

Use AI to transcribe and summarise five of your own recorded interviews, then draft three headline and lede variations each, and log hours saved versus manual work.

Phase 2

Faster production

Templates and workflows for repeat work.
Rights, licensing and disclosure of AI-generated material.
Quality control before publishing.

Project

Build a reusable AI prompt template for your most repeated beat story type, publish 10 stories through it with a fact-check and AI-disclosure checklist, and track turnaround time.

Phase 3

Creative direction

Direct AI output toward a clear concept.
Offer services built on taste and judgment.
Build a portfolio that shows how you work with AI.

Project

Direct AI through a 4-part investigative or explainer series on one theme, documenting each prompt and edit in a public portfolio piece on how you work with AI.

Take the free 11-question test