How can we better understand the current AI hype?

This challenging article from Jason Koebler at 404 media cuts through the hype in a way that also recognises positive ways in which individual journalists are already using AI. (free access if you subscribe to the 404 newsletter). It also contains that amazing video of Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare explaining how the traffic apocalypse is already playing out.  
 
To balance Jason’s scepticism and for a mile high view of the wider trends, I also enjoy People vs Algorithms, a podcast by Brian Morrissey, Alex Schleifer and Troy Young. It’s full of big insights as well as little details that have shaped my thinking.

What will we be shaking our heads about a year from now?

Right now, I am shaking my head about the advances in coding capabilities from AI from Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT. The ability to prototype and iterate new ideas using text prompts could supercharge innovation in the news media which is mostly cumbersome and unproductive. This could be gamechanging and I am looking to get stuck in personally this year.

What future are you looking forward to?

I’m handing over the Reuters Institute Digital News Report to a colleague, Jim Egan, this year. It’s a big change after 14 years as lead author. So I’m looking forward to fewer deadlines and more time to explore great examples of media innovation around the world and more time for other interests such as photography, culture and sport.