How is AI being used in Swiss journalism, and what are the implications for media quality and public trust?
The project “AI Literacy in Swiss Journalism” provides the first comprehensive overview of the use of AI in Swiss journalism, based on a nationwide survey of 730 media professionals. The results paint a mixed picture. For the majority of journalists, AI is already part of their daily work, mostly for support tasks such as transcription or text optimisation. However, real gains in quality and efficiency have so far only been partially noticeable. Furthermore, in many places there is a lack of time to carefully check AI-generated content, and a lack of resources for further training. Uniform standards and quality assurance measures have not yet been established in many newsrooms.
A clear majority fear that AI could facilitate the spread of misinformation, homogenise content and jeopardise public trust. Many media professionals also see a growing dependence on tech companies and advocate for collaborative solutions.
The study concludes with specific recommendations for industry-wide standards on the labelling of AI content, stronger quality assurance in newsrooms and greater transparency towards the public.
The study was funded in the 3rd Rapid Action Call. A project involving UZH, ZHAW, USI, the University of Fribourg, FHGR, Quality in Journalism (QuaJou), the Swiss Union of Media Professionals (SSM) and Young Journalists Switzerland (JJS).