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Let’s protect media freedom in the era of AI
Journalists match on the streets of Kakamega town during the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2024.
What you need to know:
- It is a time to take a step back and reflect on the current media ecosystem globally, and the technological advancements that offer unique opportunities
- It is about time that news publishers seriously examined features like AI Overview and how they affect both media freedom and media sustainability.
As we mark World Press Freedom Day, it is important to celebrate the fundamental principles of Press freedom and reflect on what this means in our region.
This day also provides an opportune moment to pay tribute to media and journalism colleagues who have lost their lives in the line of duty, and to celebrate those who have stayed the course in providing accurate, timely information that helps society make evidence-informed decisions.
It is also a time to take a step back and reflect on the current media ecosystem globally, and the technological advancements that offer unique opportunities but also pose threats to media freedom.
Previous discussions have largely focused on rights issues—and rightly so—owing to threats posed by various actors. However, any serious conversation about media freedom today must also consider the economic dimension of journalism and content creation, if the media is to truly remain free.
This year’s UNESCO theme—The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom—is well timed. It provides an opportunity for us all to reflect on how AI and other emerging technologies can serve the ethical creation of news content, while also protecting the freedoms of journalists and sustaining their jobs.
One point of reflection—and perhaps discussion—is the use of Google’s AI Overview, which now appears at the top of users’ screens whenever one searches for a topic.
Google’s AI Overview
Google's AI Overviews enhance the search experience by providing quick, synthesized answers to complex queries, using advanced AI technologies to streamline information retrieval. Users can then delve more deeply into a subject through additional prompts or links that the AI Overview provides.
AI Overview relies on a number of sites, including news sites. Much of this information comes from publishers who have worked on stories, verified them, and ensured their accuracy before uploading them onto their platforms.
It is this content that forms part of what Google’s AI Overview amalgamates for ease of reference for the public.
Yet, news publishers do not receive compensation for this use of their work. The feature also diverts traffic away from publishers’ sites, making it harder for them to grow their audiences—and, by extension, their advertising revenues.
One notable example is the online education company Chegg, which recently filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google over the AI Overview feature.
Chegg argues that Google's AI-generated summaries have hurt its web traffic and revenue, despite Google spending nothing on content generation.
This lawsuit is widely viewed as the first of its kind, and it comes as several media outlets raise concerns about the feature’s long-term impact.
In 2024, the News Media Alliance, an organisation representing more than 2,000 news publishers, issued a press release warning that the impact of AI Overview would be “catastrophic.”
Critical pillar of media freedom
It is about time that news publishers seriously examined features like AI Overview and how they affect both media freedom and media sustainability.
One strategy is to develop a set of guiding principles to help digital platforms and news publishers engage with each other in defining fair economic terms.
At the heart of such principles must be the recognition that sustainability is a critical pillar of media freedom. A financially secure media environment allows journalism to fulfil its democratic function and support the public interest.
Drawing on the Principles for Fair Compensation developed in 2023 by a global team of experts of which I was part of, these engagements should be based on fair terms of engagement between digital platforms and publishers.
That includes ensuring that publishers receive fair compensation for the use of their intellectual property and content—especially in products like Google’s AI Overview.
Only then can we secure the future of public interest journalism and ensure that the media is not forced to drift away from its core mission simply because it lacks the means to survive.
Prof Booker is a professor of media and communications at The Graduate School of Media and Communications at Aga Khan University, and served in the Media Complaints Commission. Email: [email protected]
