How to Break Into Journalism: an AI Scam Story

A story in The Local reveals how AI writing is infiltrating newsrooms, flooding inboxes, and snagging bylines in major outlets. 

Is the rise of the AI journalist inevitable or is it already here? 

Jay Caspian Kang of the New Yorker joins to consider if a chatbot could write his column.

This episode uses generative AI for the following purposes: Episode tile art 

Host: James Nicholson

Credits: Jules Bugiel (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor), max collins (Director of Audio & Fact Checking), Jesse Brown (Editor)

Guest: Jay Caspian Kang

Additional music by Audio Network

Further reading: 

• What’s the point of reading writing by humans? - The New Yorker
• Could an A.I. Chatbot Rewrite My Novel? - The New Yorker
• Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era - The Local
• The Fallout From Our AI Freelancer Investigation - The Local
• Imposter Syndrome - Re:Public
• Jobs - AI-First Reporter (remote) - Jeff Gaulin’s Job Board  
• Wired and Business Insider remove articles by AI-generated ‘freelancer’ - The Guardian
• Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2025 - Reuters Institute

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