Environmental Journalists Sound Alarm on AI’s Impact on Science Reporting
The rise of artificial intelligence is making it increasingly difficult for environmental journalists to effectively communicate complex science news, according to experts at the 2025 Society of Environmental Journalism conference held in Tempe.
Panayiotis Moutis, Assistant Professor at the City College of New York, warned that readers stand to lose the most from this development. As AI becomes more sophisticated and human-like, it’s becoming harder to distinguish between content generated by robots and that created by real people. Moutis noted that AI programs lack the creative thinking of human brains, leaving readers feeling like they’ve encountered the same information before and causing them to disengage.
Winners and Losers in the AI Revolution
ASU Professor Punya Mishra identified the primary beneficiaries of the AI revolution as software developers and powerful corporations. Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein, senior research manager for the global Center for News, Technology and Innovation, concurred, pointing out that these companies not only profit from developing AI systems but also use public input as a form of “trial test-run” to continually improve their technology.
Public Perception of AI in Journalism
Barchas-Lichtenstein’s 2024 international public survey revealed that at least one in three journalists use AI in their work. The survey showed that 70% of the public is generally accepting of journalists using AI, although there are caveats. While two-thirds of journalists reported using AI for translating content and 60% for summarizing or analyzing documents, only 39% used AI to write story drafts. The public was most uncomfortable with AI-generated images, with less than 50% approving of journalists using AI for image editing.
Ethical Use of AI in Journalism
Mishra emphasized that AI should never replace a journalist’s original research or writing. “Use AI when accuracy doesn’t matter,” Mishra advised, highlighting the need for careful consideration in how AI tools are employed.
The coverage of the Society of Environmental Journalists conference was supported by Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism, the University of Arizona, and the Arizona Media Association. The stories are published open-source for other news outlets to share and republish.
