Inside South Africa’s Newsrooms: AI’s Promise and Danger in the Digital Age
South Africa’s mainstream newsrooms are stepping cautiously into the realm of artificial intelligence. A new academic study—titled “Artificial Intelligence Practices in Everyday News Production: The Case of South Africa’s Mainstream Newsrooms“—sheds light on how leading media institutions are embracing AI while wrestling with deep-seated skepticism.
The study, which draws on interviews with journalists, editors, and AI specialists from outlets including Bloomberg, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), City Press, MSNBC, and The Mail & Guardian, reveals the real picture of AI adoption in newsrooms. Rather than a wholesale digital revolution, AI adoption in South African newsrooms is unfolding slowly, variedly, and methodically.
Three approaches to AI Adoption
Researchers identified three distinct approaches to AI integration in the news production process. In some outlets, AI is being adopted holistically. At Bloomberg, for example, artificial intelligence plays a central role in updating financial news and generating real-time reports on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. One Bloomberg respondent explained, “We use AI to write and update stories in the business section—providing near-instantaneous updates on losses, gains, and market fluctuations. Yet, for deeper investigative work, human insight remains indispensable.”
Elsewhere, the approach is more narrowly tailored. At MSNBC, AI finds its place predominantly in the technological realm: the newsroom’s high-performance cameras are now equipped with deep-learning software designed to enhance image quality and speed up production. “It’s not about replacing the storytelling process,” noted an MSNBC editor, “but about using AI to push the boundaries of our hardware. The technology we integrate is intended to make our reporting more efficient, even if the heart of the narrative remains a human endeavor.”
Then there are newsrooms that have opted for a task-specific use of AI. The SABC, which must cater to South Africa’s 11 official languages as part of its public service mandate, is harnessing AI primarily to assist with translations. “We haven’t embraced AI across every facet of our operations,” a senior SABC editor remarked, “but in areas like language translation, AI helps us meet our constitutional duty to treat all languages equitably.”
A Cautious Embrace
Despite these varied applications, a pervasive sense of caution runs through the study’s findings. South African journalists are wrestling with a mountain of concerns that range from practical issues—such as the high costs of acquiring and maintaining AI technologies and the steep learning curve for newsroom staff—to more existential questions about the role of the press in a democratic society and ethics.
“Machines don’t think or feel,” one respondent bluntly declared. For many in South Africa’s newsrooms, the idea of AI-powered reporting evokes images of impersonal, algorithm-driven stories that lack the nuance and empathy essential for holding power to account. As one veteran journalist put it, “News writing is as much about emotion and human insight as it is about facts. I don’t believe an algorithm can capture the soul of a story or challenge the elites in the way a seasoned reporter can.”
Moreover, the study highlights concerns about job losses in an already economically strained media sector. With traditional newsrooms facing declining advertising revenue and workforce cutbacks, the introduction of AI only intensifies anxieties about further devaluation of human expertise. “There is a real fear that as we automate more tasks, we’ll be pushing skilled journalists out of the picture,” said one editor. “It’s not just a cost-cutting issue—it’s an ethical dilemma that strikes at the heart of our profession.”
The Cost of Progress
Beyond the human element, the financial implications of AI adoption loom large. Even well-resourced organisations like Bloomberg acknowledge that integrating sophisticated AI systems is expensive—costs that smaller or financially struggling outlets may find prohibitive. One Bloomberg insider summed up the predicament: “AI is expensive to adopt, especially here in South Africa, where much of the technology has to be imported. There’s an expectation that costs will eventually come down, but the reality is that investment in these tools is a heavy burden for many.”
In newsrooms that are already reeling from economic pressures, the introduction of AI is seen as a double-edged sword. While automation could, in theory, streamline processes and cut down operational costs, it might also lead to further budget cuts and a reduction in the diversity of voices in journalism.
Implications for Democracy
At the heart of the debate lies a larger, more philosophical question: Can AI coexist with the democratic ideals that underpin a free press? South African journalists, operating in a post-apartheid society still struggling with inequality and a legacy of political polarisation, are particularly wary of ceding control of news production to machines. “Our journalism is meant to provoke discussion, to spark debate and to hold leaders accountable,” remarked a reporter from City Press. “I can’t see how a machine, no matter how advanced, could ever replicate the human capacity for empathy and critical thinking that is so crucial in our line of work.”
For many, the answer is clear: the optimism observed in Western newsrooms—where some see AI as a tool to enhance objectivity and efficiency—cannot simply be transplanted into the South African context. Here, the interplay between technology, ethics, and societal values creates a uniquely undesirable environment for digital innovation.
A Balancing Act for the Future
The study ultimately argues that while AI presents undeniable opportunities for streamlining routine tasks and even revolutionising certain types of reporting, its integration must be approached with caution. Journalists in South Africa are calling for a balanced strategy—one that leverages the benefits of AI without undermining the core human elements that give journalism its democratic function.
The findings suggest that for now, AI in South African newsrooms remains an experimental tool, implemented in individual applications rather than as a blanket solution. As news organisations continue to explore the technology’s potential, the hope is that a careful calibration between innovation and tradition will preserve the integrity of the press even as it evolves.
In a media landscape defined by rapid technological change and economic uncertainty, the study serves as both a chronicle and a cautionary tale. It underscores that while artificial intelligence can offer transformative benefits, the future of journalism—in South Africa and beyond—will always require a human touch.
Source:
Munoriyarwa, A., Chiumbu, S., & Motsaathebe, G. (2023). “Artificial intelligence practices in everyday news production: The case of South Africa’s mainstream newsrooms”. Journalism Practice, 17(7), 1374-1392. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1984976
Picture credit:
OpenAI. (2025, February 5). A depiction of a modern South African newsroom blending traditional and futuristic elements [AI-generated image]. DALL-E.