News Australia has expanded its use of artificial intelligence in its local news coverage, with the publisher now using AI assistance to produce stories for the Herald Sun.
The move marks a significant step up from the company’s prior use of AI for more formulaic content, including weather, traffic and more information-led reporting.
The AI-assisted stories have been published under the Leader brand, News Australia’s community news division in Victoria. Each piece is identified as having been created with AI assistance. Each has reviewed by a human editor before its published.
The move comes as News Australia looks to increase the amount of regional and community content it produces, following the closure of a number of local print titles in 2020 and subsequent reductions across its local news operations.
News Australia has said the initiative is designed to help it cover communities that have traditionally been underserved by local media, while maintaining its investment in journalists.
The masthead has also assured that the adoption of AI to write news will not impact staff.
“We are currently exploring ways, including the use of AI, to serve regional and community areas that have not been receiving local news coverage for some time. We have been proactive in talking to and consulting our teams about this since its earliest stages,” said a spokesperson from The Herald Sun.
“Staff have been advised that their roles will not change in any shape or form. No roles will be reduced because of this project or in the event that it is expanded, as this is being conducted in addition to a significant investment in journalists who will be based in regional Victoria. Staff members have given positive feedback after individual consultations and told us they are comfortable with the plans.”
The move comes as News Australia emphasised the importance of trust and reputation in an increasingly digital information environment at its recent Beyond 27 upfront series. During the upfronts, the publisher spoke passionately on the role that real people play in journalism and the value of human voices in building trust with audiences.
News Corp has been using AI in its news production for several years. A representative of the masthead said had produced approximately 3,000 AI-generated local stories per week at a the Worlds News Media Congress in 2023.
