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Americans are increasingly expressing deep concerns about the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping the news landscape. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that half of US adults believe AI will have a “very” (24%) or “somewhat” (26%) negative impact on the news people will receive over the next 20 years, while only 10% think AI will have a positive effect. About a quarter (23%) said the impact will be both good and bad, while 16% remained unsure.
AI vs. journalists: Who does a better job?
The outlook is even bleaker for those working in the news industry. About 59% of Americans said AI will reduce the number of journalism jobs, while only 5% expect it to create more opportunities. This sentiment reflects broader fears about AI’s effect on employment. When it comes to quality, Americans aren’t convinced that AI can match human reporters. According to the Pew survey, 41% believe AI would do a worse job than journalists at writing news stories. Only 19% think AI could do better, while 20% think the results would be about the same.
A separate Pew survey from October 2024 found that 52% of US workers fear AI will impact their careers, while another 32% believe it will reduce job opportunities in their field.
Misinformation fears intensify
Concerns about AI spreading false information are widespread, with 66% of Americans saying they are “extremely” or “very” worried about inaccuracies from AI. Another 26% are somewhat concerned. Tech companies themselves have admitted that AI chatbots sometimes generate false or misleading answers, a problem known as “AI hallucinations.”
These worries are not unfounded. A recent investigation by NewsGuard found that major AI chatbots — including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft’s Copilot — have unintentionally echoed Russian disinformation. According to the report, 33% of chatbot responses sampled included false narratives linked to Pravda, a pro-Kremlin propaganda network.
Partisan views show unusual agreement
Despite deep political divides on trust in the media, both Republicans and Democrats share similar concerns about AI’s impact on news.
- 54% of Republicans and 49% of Democrats think AI will negatively affect news in the long run.
- 67% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats are highly concerned about AI spreading misinformation.
Education levels also influence opinions, as Americans with higher education levels are more likely to distrust AI’s role in news. About 56% of college graduates said AI would harm news quality compared to 44% of those with less education.
A cautious future
AI tools continue to evolve rapidly, but the public remains wary, especially when it comes to trust, accuracy, and the future of journalism jobs. As disinformation networks like Pravda exploit the flaws in AI training, experts warn of lasting damage to news quality and democratic discourse. For now, Americans appear reluctant to trust machines with the job of informing the public.