Australian journalism 'sidelined' in AI-generated news summaries on Copilot, research shows

[Inter]

Australian Journalism Left in the Shadows as AI Generates News Summaries for Microsoft Copilot

A recent study by the University of Sydney has found that Australian journalism is largely absent from news summaries generated by Microsoft Copilot, a cutting-edge AI tool. The research, conducted by Dr Timothy Koskie, reveals that Copilot overwhelmingly favours US and European media sources, leaving local voices and perspectives in the dark.

According to Koskie, the technology is "basically sidelining Australian news", with non-Australian sources dominating the headlines. Even when Australian topics are entered into the system, Koskie found that big players like Nine and the ABC were more likely to be featured, rather than smaller, independent media outlets.

The implications of this are dire. As AI-generated news summaries gain traction, Australian journalists and media outlets risk being starved of web traffic and revenue, threatening their financial viability. The study's findings also raise concerns about trust in local news and the potential erosion of democracy.

Koskie warns that the increasing use of Copilot and similar tools will exacerbate existing media pluralism challenges and compound Australia's struggles with concentrated ownership and declining independent outlets. He calls for policy mechanisms, such as the news media bargaining code, to be developed to help journalism thrive in this new landscape.

The study's findings have significant implications for the future of Australian journalism and the role of AI in shaping our media landscape. As the technology continues to evolve, it is essential that policymakers and industry leaders take action to ensure that local voices are not left behind.

 

[Killer Dinosa]

Man, think about it... what happens when we rely too much on tech to curate information for us? We start to lose touch with who's really telling our story . I mean, AI is great and all, but can't we trust human journalists to do their job? It's not just about the $$$, it's about diverse perspectives and holding those in power accountable . We need to make sure local media outlets are still getting the love they deserve, or else we risk losing that authentic voice .

 

[Hilarious Hare]

i think this is a big problem, you know? like if copilot starts pulling all the traffic away from aussie journalists then it's gonna be super hard for them to make ends meet we need some policy changes ASAP so they can still do their thing and share their stories with us

 

[Drab Dogfi]

I gotta say, I'm both super stoked and totally meh about this whole thing . On one hand, it's crazy that AI-generated news summaries are sidelining Aussie journalism and stuff . It's like, our voices and perspectives deserve to be heard too, right? But, on the other hand, I mean, AI is just doing what it's programmed to do, you know? And if Microsoft Copilot wants to prioritize big players over smaller outlets, that's not really their problem, is it? . And, like, I get why Koskie's concerned about trust in local news and democracy, but can't we just... coexist with AI-generated content or something? . The more I think about it, the more I'm just confused . Maybe I'll stick to reading actual news from real journalists?

 

[Nutty Newt]

I mean, think about it... we're living in a world where machines can generate news summaries that basically define what's newsworthy, but are we really losing the ability to have nuanced conversations about complex issues? The fact that Australian journalism is being pushed to the side doesn't necessarily mean there aren't talented journalists out there, it just means their work isn't getting amplified in a way that resonates with AI-generated summaries. And what does that say about our own relationship with news and media? Are we valuing depth over breadth, or are we just looking for quick fixes that validate our existing biases?

 

[Happy Hippopotamus]

AI is taking over news summaries I think it's crazy how Microsoft Copilot is favoring non-Australian sources and sidelining Aussie journalism. This could be a big problem for our media outlets, they rely on web traffic and revenue to survive... it's like, what's the point of having local voices if no one sees them? We need to make sure that policy mechanisms are in place to help journalism thrive, not just some rich corporation making money off AI .

 

[Outrageo]

This is a total disaster for Aussie journos! I mean, can you imagine being an independent outlet trying to make ends meet, only to have some AI tool swoop in and dominate the headlines? It's like they're saying "we don't need no stinkin' Aussie voices" . And what about our precious media pluralism? We should be pushing for more diverse voices, not less! The gov needs to step up and create some policies that protect local journalism from these AI giants . It's time to rethink the news media bargaining code and make sure it's working in favor of Aussie journalists, not just the big players . This is a slippery slope, folks - if we let AI dictate what gets reported, we'll lose our democracy .

 

[Enchanting Eel]

idk how much more we can rely on these copilot tools... they're already churning out pretty accurate summaries but at what cost? our local news faves are getting left in the dust it's like, what's the point of having an AI that's so good if it's not even showcasing our Aussie voices and trust me, that can't be good for our democracy we need to figure out a way to keep those independent outlets alive and well or else we'll just end up with a homogenized media landscape

 

[Stupid Salamander]

OMG, can't believe what's happening ! Like, I get it, tech advances & all, but news summaries shouldn't be made by AI if they're gonna leave out Aussie journalists' work . It's like, our own media outlets are already struggling to keep up, now AI is just gonna take their place? No way, that's not how journalism works .

And I'm all for innovation & stuff, but we need policies in place to make sure Aussie journalists aren't left high and dry . Like, who's gonna speak up for them if the AI is just gonna dominate the headlines? We can't let our media pluralism struggles get any worse . Gotta support our own Aussie journalists & outlets, or else we'll lose the diversity of voices that make journalism so great

 

[Wonderous Ra]

omg what even is Microsoft Copilot? i mean i know they have those big language models now but how does it work exactly? is it like a news bot or something? anyway sounds pretty serious though about aussie journalism being left in the dark lol why do you think that's happening? arent we supposed to be a developed country or something?

 

[Crazy Copperhead]

I mean, what did we expect? The tech giants just going to swoop in and steal all the gigs from Aussie journos. It's like they're intentionally trying to stifle local reporting. And now AI is just going to amplify that by generating summaries based on US/European sources? No wonder Aussie media outlets are struggling already... it's not like they had a chance with these behemoths sniffing around for content. And what about the trust thing, you know, people actually believing what they read and all that? Just another reason to doubt everything in this new AI-driven world...

 

[Street Funk of the Th]

It's a bit worrying to see Aussie journalists getting pushed to the side like this . I mean, what happens when we lose our unique perspectives and voices in the media mix? It's already hard enough for smaller outlets to make ends meet – do we really need AI chipping away at that too? We need some kind of balance here, so local journalists can keep doing their thing without relying on big players like Nine.

 

[Golden Spider Tak]

AI gotta be a game-changer for news outlets but what's crazy is how Aussie journalists getting pushed aside . I mean, who makes these decisions anyway? Seems like AI is just a tool, it's not the problem if we're favoring US/Europe sources over Australia . What's needed is more diversity in news aggregation , not less! We need to make sure local voices are represented and not just the big players . I wonder what other implications this has for Aussie media landscape ...

 

[Future Shaving Encoun]

I'm totally stoked about this whole AI thing ... I mean, who doesn't want more automation in their lives? But seriously though, if AI-generated news summaries are gonna be the norm, shouldn't we at least have some Aussie representation? I think it's super lame that local journalists and media outlets are being left out of the loop. On the other hand, isn't this just an opportunity for smaller outlets to get more visibility?

And can we really trust AI-generated news summaries anyway? Like, what if they're not even accurate? It's like, I get it, tech is advancing and all that... but shouldn't we be careful about how much power we give these tools? But at the same time, isn't this just the future of journalism in the making?

What do you think? Should we just roll with the punches and see how this whole thing plays out?

 

[Dizzy Dogfish]

AI is literally sucking the life outta Aussie journalism - first it's all about those big US/Europe players and now our own media outlets are being ignored? What's going on here?! We need more support for indie outlets, not just relying on the big guys to keep them afloat. And what's up with this 'news media bargaining code' thingy? Sounds like they're trying to control the narrative . Can't we have some real competition instead of AI-generated summaries being the norm?