The News Ecosystem in the Age of AI: Evidence from the UAE

While there is a growing body of literature on the use of algorithms in journalistic principles and professional practices in general, there is a gap in the literature regarding the adoption of AI, algorithms, and automation in the journalistic field in the United Arab Emirates. This paper explores the journalistic field by providing empirical perspectives on algorithmic adoption and its relationship between journalistic values and algorithmic innovation. Through semi-structured interviews, we explore how AI adoption amongst journalists explains the gaps between journalistic values and journalistic practices empowered by algorithms. The findings suggest that, in large part, the journalists and news organizations have recognized the strategic value of AI for journalism and journalistic quality. However, the future of AI journalism depends on balancing algorithms with editorial and ethical parameters. To maintain the integrity and trustworthiness of the content, news organizations and journalists themselves need to be able to define how AI is used in the field.