AI is reshaping Arab journalism in ways that entrench power rather than distribute it, as under-resourced MENA newsrooms are pushed deeper into dependency and marginalisation, while wealthy, tech-aligned media actors consolidate narrative control through infrastructure they alone can afford and govern.

Female journalists in Jordan are harnessing AI chatbots to boost productivity, enhance digital safety, and find emotional support, but their growing reliance also raises critical concerns about privacy, ethics, and the responsible use of emerging technologies in journalism. This article explores how these tools are reshaping their workflows while navigating the challenges of trust and accountability.

As artificial intelligence transforms newsrooms across South Asia, journalists grapple with the fine line between enhancement and dependency

AI-driven journalism initiatives in the Middle East, often backed by philanthropic media development projects, are reshaping local newsrooms under the influence of global tech giants. These efforts, while marketed as support, risk deepening power asymmetries, fostering digital dependency, and reactivating colonial patterns of control through algorithmic systems and donor-driven agendas.

How did the conversation about using artificial intelligence in journalism become merely a "trend"? And can we say that much of the media discourse on AI’s potential remains broad and speculative rather than a tangible reality in newsrooms?

Recent advances in AI are mind-blowing. But good journalism requires certain skills which, for now at least, only humans can master