Udupi: Artificial Intelligence will soon replace a significant portion of newsroom and reporting roles, warned senior journalist and columnist Rajaram Tallur, during his keynote address at the Press Day celebration in Udupi. The event was jointly organised by the Udupi District Working Journalists Association, Patrika Bhavan Committee, and Lions Club, held at Lions Bhavan, Brahmagiri.
Speaking on ‘Media: The Next 10 Years – Media Convergence & LLM’, Tallur expressed deep concern over the impact of Large Language Model (LLM)-based AI tools. He said AI can now handle tasks like translation, content summarization, headline selection, copy-editing, transcription, and subtitling, posing a direct threat to nearly 75% of desk jobs and 50% of reporting roles in the near future.
He emphasized how AI technologies, equipped with learning abilities, are rapidly mastering human skills and might soon overtake traditional journalism. The recently passed Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) 2023, with its upcoming regulations, will also reshape media dynamics, he added.
Tallur pointed out that print journalism is facing an existential challenge, surviving largely due to loyal older readers. Meanwhile, TV media, though currently stable, could struggle to compete against low-cost, agile digital platforms in the coming years. He stressed that future journalism would evolve into an immersive, multisensory experience.
Additional DC Abid Gadyal, inaugurating the program, called journalism the “third eye of society” and urged journalists to analyze issues deeply and remain connected with the community.
Various dignitaries were present, and awards like Pratibha Puraskar were distributed to meritorious students.