AI’s reliance on journalism fuels calls to keep newsrooms viable

Journalists remain indispensable because AI systems ultimately depend on their verified reporting to maintain accuracy, credibility and public trust. | REUTERS

By Stig Orskov
Project Syndicate

Sep 29, 2026

FRANKFURT – In her 1967 essay “Truth and Politics,” the political philosopher Hannah Arendt observed that “Freedom of opinion is a farce unless factual information is guaranteed and the facts themselves are not in dispute.”

The news supplied by trustworthy journalists has long been an indispensable source of that information, without which democratic societies cannot function effectively. But as people increasingly rely on AI chatbots for news, siphoning traffic and profits from outlets often operating on a shoestring budget, good journalism is at risk of disappearing.

The paradox is that trusted news sources are essential to AI’s credibility. Failure to recognize this dependence may result in AI tools further destabilizing the already precarious journalism industry at a moment of profound upheaval and democratic erosion. Mariya Gabriel, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, put it well at the World News Media Congress in June: “Support for journalism is not a luxury. It is democratic infrastructure.” Around the same time, UNESCO translated that principle into practice by unveiling its Draft Guidance on Fair Compensation for News, with the final version expected later this year.

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