With a fully synthetic co-presenter named Ameca, findings from a comprehensive study on the role of generative artificial intelligence in broadcast media were shared at a NAB Show 2024 presentation featuring the CEO of Futuri, with data gathered in collaboration with CMG Custom Research.
Some 5,200 media consumers, including 2,500 TV news consumers across the U.S., were surveyed.
And, Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig shared the results Monday morning at the Las Vegas-based conference. Audience perceptions, expectations, and the future of AI-powered media content were examined.
“AI will transform the journalism landscape as we know it,” Anstanding said. It already is, with ENCO‘s latest innovations getting notice from two TEGNA executives on Sunday afternoon, as observed by RBR+TVBR. Anstandig continued, “AI fundamentally enhances the way we gather, curate, and deliver news. With AI, newsrooms have the opportunity to streamline their operations and connect with audiences more efficiently on more platforms. The demand for content is at an all-time high, and AI promises to make broadcast teams capable of generating the volume of content across multiple platforms that audiences demand.”
Key Insights from the study are as follows:
● Familiarity with AI:
○ 88% of respondents are aware of AI.
○ 59% have knowingly used AI.
○ Virtually all respondents use at least one AI-powered tool in a typical week,
ranging from virtual assistants like Siri/Google/Alexa, traffic apps, health and
fitness apps, search engines, and social media services that personalize or
customize content.
● Perception of AI in News:
○ 49% of TV news viewers believe they’ve already seen humans on the air
delivering news or information that was actually AI-generated. Futuri reports that
far fewer than 49% of newsrooms have actually adopted artificial intelligence.
● Openness to AI-anchors:
○ Audiences are more receptive to AI-generated content in certain news
categories, with entertainment, technology, sports, and local news garnering the
highest levels of acceptance.
○ Notably, regular local TV news viewers demonstrated a 7-12% higher favorability
towards AI news anchors compared to those who do not frequently watch
television news, with the exact percentage varying based on the specific news
topic.
○ TV news viewers were least favorable about AI participating in news that is
considered international affairs, politics, and opinion/editorial.
○ Participants were presented with AI avatars presenting news, weather, and
sports and asked to identify which presenter was AI. While the AI video avatars
showed promise, the overall consensus was that the technology is close, but not
quite ready for primetime, but there were indications of better suitability for social
and digital channels.
● Trust and Bias
○ Trust and bias are not new topics for the industry, as they are frequently explored
in studies related to broadcast news and journalism. News media has been
scrutinized in recent years by consumers, as seen in Futuri’s Future of Audience
and Revenue Studies in 2020-2022. Credibility scores in recent years for major
networks were notably declining, particularly with younger viewers.
○ In the AI in Media study, trust and bias were explored from the perspective of AI
usage in the newsroom. While 45% of TV news viewers believe AI can assist in
selecting better stories, many respondents commented that news and information
being delivered using AI anchors or AI newsroom technology is ‘good as long as
it’s accurate and factually correct.’
○ When asked whether they preferred to customize their ‘ideal AI host,’ 61% of
viewers in favor of customization preferred politically neutral point of view.
○ Half of the respondents expressed concerns about the potential for bias in
AI-delivered news content.
● AI’s Perceived Role in Improving Content:
○ 45% of TV news viewers believe AI can assist in selecting better news stories.
○ 54% of local TV news viewers believe AI can enhance weather forecasts,
showcasing the potential for AI to elevate traditional news through proper
newsroom integration.
○ Respondents also indicated a high level of trust in AI-generated content,
specifically when informed by reputable sources like local and national news
outlets.
● Audiences want AI-use disclosed: 90% of respondents want clear disclosure when
content or hosts themselves are powered by AI.
With Ameca alongside him, Anstandig said, “We chose to present the findings of this comprehensive consumer study with Ameca, because we wanted to demonstrate embracing AI as a co-creator and co-presenter in pursuit of helpful insights and audience engagement. AI is inevitable, and wise adoption and integration in the newsroom will be key in the industry’s resilience and growth in a time of unprecedented competition.”
