AI - A double-edged sword

In the digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly changing the journalism industry, from content production and aggregation to distribution. Currently, AI not only supports reporters, editors, and technicians, but also reshapes how readers access and interact with information.

Change your approach.

Previously, journalism was associated with the image of reporters holding notebooks, recording interviews, and then spending hours editing, researching, and refining the content. However, the rapid development of AI has completely changed this process. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot are now assisting journalists in suggesting topics, creating preliminary drafts, editing language, and analyzing large datasets quickly and efficiently.

AI - Con dao hai lưỡi - Ảnh 1. — Reporters are using AI in their journalistic work. Photo: LE TINH

In Vietnam, Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper is one of the pioneering units in promoting innovation and applying technology in the journalistic process. Even in 2024 – the year AI began to boom globally – the newspaper launched the AI365 section along with a virtual MC, clearly demonstrating its strong technological orientation and vision for digital transformation.

Not stopping at just applying technology, for two consecutive years, 2024-2025, the newspaper also organized a series of internal training courses and specialized workshops on AI in journalism for its team of reporters, editors, technicians, etc. These programs not only helped improve professional quality but also contributed to spreading the spirit of innovation and the widespread application of AI in the modern journalistic environment.

One of the highlights of the training programs at Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper is the high level of discipline and practical application. Speaking at the AI training course organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper in April 2025, journalist Le Cao Cuong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, stated: "After the advanced training course, each reporter, editor, etc., must be proficient in and regularly use at least 2 to 3 specialized AI tools – depending on the nature of their work; the process of applying AI to daily work will be considered an important criterion in evaluating individual capabilities."

Currently, Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper has applied a variety of AI tools in its journalistic processes, from editing and summarizing texts to standardizing SEO content and producing news videos using virtual voiceovers and automated editing. AI is also used to analyze data, identify trends, and predict reader behavior. Furthermore, podcast news programs have integrated AI into their audio reading and processing. Notably, some articles have incorporated AI, demonstrating the newsroom's commitment to innovation and technological adaptation in the digital age.

Internationally, many major news organizations have also quickly integrated AI into their operational processes. For example, The Washington Post has used the Heliograf system to create short, accurate news reports in real time. Reuters developed the Lynx Insight tool to analyze data and suggest article ideas, helping reporters save time in the research process…

Ms. Pham Quynh Anh (residing in Ho Chi Minh City), a young reader, believes that the bold application of AI technology by newsrooms has contributed to a new look for modern journalism. "I see newsrooms, including Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, using virtual presenters to deliver news professionally, with increasingly vivid AI-powered illustrations, along with modern, intuitive graphics and charts, making information easier to understand and more engaging. These innovations clearly meet the readers' need for quick access to information in various formats," she said.

Although AI can now synthesize and provide information quickly, Ms. Quynh Anh still chooses to read mainstream newspapers as her preferred source of information. According to her, the core value and distinguishing feature of journalism lies in thorough verification, analytical skills, and social responsibility – elements that can only be guaranteed by a team of professional journalists.

An inevitable trend

The examples above show that AI today is not just a technical tool, but has become an inevitable trend in the content development strategy and operational organization of modern newsrooms.

According to Dr. Luong Dong Son, lecturer at the Institute of Journalism and Communication (Academy of Journalism and Communication), it is necessary to frankly acknowledge that AI is placing the journalism industry before a pivotal reshaping. This impact is twofold, presenting both opportunities and significant challenges.

On the positive side, AI is a powerful tool if we know how to master it. AI has the potential to free journalists from time-consuming, mechanical tasks such as transcribing and synthesizing raw information, allowing them to focus on the most essential aspects of the profession: critical thinking, in-depth investigation, and creating stories with humanistic value.

In particular, with its big data analytics capabilities, AI is ushering in an era of "data journalism," helping journalists uncover the macro stories hidden behind numbers that are difficult for humans to achieve. However, challenges are also immense. AI can be abused to produce fake news with sophisticated levels of accuracy, directly threatening the integrity of the information space. From an internal perspective, over-reliance on AI could lead to a "stale pen," eroding the independent thinking ability and creative identity of journalists.

"Therefore, the key lies in the fact that AI must always be a tool, while the intelligence, courage, and ethics of journalists must be the masters. We must leverage its power to improve the quality of journalism, not to let it replace or weaken the core values of the profession," Mr. Son said.

In addition, Mr. Le Hong Duc, founder of OneAds Digital Co., Ltd., said that AI is strongly empowering the journalism industry through "AI agents for journalism." Tools like OpenAI Deep Research or similar systems from Google can automate the process of data collection, first draft writing, and fact-checking, thereby helping journalists focus more on in-depth investigative content and contextual analysis.

"AI is helping small or under-resourced newsrooms access advanced working methods that were previously almost impossible: in-depth research, continuous monitoring, complex data analysis, and the production of high-quality digital journalistic products. If applied skillfully and with understanding, AI can significantly improve the quality of journalism," Mr. Duc stated.

According to experts, the rapid development of AI places an urgent demand on journalists: they must constantly improve their technological and professional skills to control and filter information from the "forest" of data generated by AI. More importantly, journalists need to uphold their professional responsibility, providing information to readers quickly, effectively, accurately, responsibly, and humanely. This is also the criterion that the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper has consistently pursued for many years.

A skill of journalism

Mr. Hoang Dao, Chairman of the Vietnam Innovation Ecosystem, said that AI is bringing many new opportunities but also many challenges to the journalism industry. Currently, AI can quickly and effectively support the selection of topics, data searching, and content suggestions, helping to optimize workload. However, if journalists become too dependent on this tool, they may easily lose critical thinking skills, stop honing their ability to observe reality, and, more seriously, lack a foundation of knowledge.

"I've met some young people who write very quickly thanks to AI, but when I ask them in more detail, they don't understand the context and lack clear opinions. I think AI should be considered a supporting skill for journalism. Only those who can use the technology while still maintaining their own perspective, knowing how to select and write with their own thinking, can truly be journalists in the new era," Mr. Dao said.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ai-con-dao-hai-luoi-196250724204720805.htm