“AI will steal our jobs. AI will destroy our future.” I’ve been hearing these warnings since the day everyone around me learned how to use chatbots. For a long time, they sounded no different from other doomsday predictions—“Robots will rule the world!”—dramatic, exaggerated, and easy to ignore. That changed when I entered IIMC, New Delhi.
At India’s premier institute of journalism, fear suddenly felt real. Among the youth training to become storytellers of society, there was a quiet anxiety about the future. Not merely because the media industry already offers scarce opportunities and modest pay—though that certainly adds to the stress—but because artificial intelligence is now capable of performing tasks that once demanded years of human skill and intellectual discipline.
From writing articles and generating content to designing websites, creating animations, conducting research, and even presenting news, AI does it all—quickly and efficiently. The list of its capabilities is so long that naming them might exhaust the word limit of this very article. Ironically, even this piece could have been written by AI.
So the question arises, why recruit journalists at all? Especially when media houses have already given us a reality check by introducing AI news anchors in the name of cost-cutting. In such a scenario, why should we continue refining our skills? What motivates us to keep going when our competitor appears to be an unbeatable technology?
The answer lies in a shift of perspective.
AI is not our competitor; it is our super-smart assistant. It functions entirely on human commands. And if everything depends on commands, then the real competition is still among humans; those who know how to ask better questions, give sharper prompts, and think more creatively. AI, in that sense, is a power tool. And like any tool, it rewards the one who knows how to use it best.
Recognising this, IIMC organised two AI workshops to familiarise us with different AI platforms and their specialisations. More importantly, we were taught how to interact with them effectively. The goal was simple: to make AI less intimidating and more accessible for Gen Z journalists because fear often stems from the unknown.
Instead of lamenting the changing landscape of the media industry, it is wiser to accept a fundamental truth: change is inevitable. Adaptation is no longer optional; it is essential. Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest” holds true even today—those who adapt survive, and those who resist risk being left behind.
That said, it would be impractical and dangerous to depend entirely on technology in journalism. AI generates content by analysing existing information available online. If media relies solely on such tools, communication could fall into a vicious loop: journalists use AI to produce content, and AI, in turn, feeds on the same human-generated material already circulating on the internet.
More importantly, journalism is not just about information; it is about connection. Media exists to communicate with humans and influence human minds. No matter how refined an AI anchor’s voice or expressions become, emotional connection cannot be programmed. An AI cannot walk through crowded streets, listen to grief, anger, or hope, or sit across from someone whose story needs to be told.
In the end, technology may evolve, but the human element of journalism remains irreplaceable. AI can assist, enhance, and accelerate—but it cannot feel, empathise, or truly witness. And that is where journalists still matter.
(This article has been written by Isha Sharma, pursuing a PG Diploma in Journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi)
