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MediaMorph Edition 76 - by HANA News
AI Crescendo
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The written-by-a-human bit
If AI was a West End musical, we are now at the part just before the interval, when the strobe lights are going crazy, the orchestra are all in unison, the entire cast is on the stage, and everyone is singing louder and louder over each other. We know the curtain is about to come down on part one.
In that vein, Katie Drummond has written an excellent and somewhat satirical piece for Wired, The Worst Thing About AI Is That People Can’t Shut Up About It.
It’s unavoidable — AI news has escaped the dark corners of tech magazines long ago and is now on every page—geopolitics, global finance, investment, health, law, culture, sport—everywhere.
At the same time, you are being told that to avoid the job-apocalypse, you need to be “the AI guy” —the person everyone turns to for a tool, a technique, or an opinion.
So, how do you navigate the AI news tsunami?
My daily AI diet starts with Nathaniel Whittemore’s The AI Daily Brief - my go-to for daily headlines and a deeper dive on all things AI. The prodigious Nathaniel Whittemore (NLW) offers intelligent insights for all enthusiastic AI adopters.
Other weekly podcasts include Hard Fork from the New York Times, The Times Tech Podcast with Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott and Pete Pachal’s Media CoPilot newsletter, podcast and Fast Company column. The daily TBPN recently hit my radar as the insider’s inside guide to Silicon Valley, as featured in the Wall Street Journal last month, seeking to raise sponsorship revenue to $15m as a one-year-old media company.
For grown-up newsletters, head to One Useful Thing by Ethan Mollick, People vs Algorithms, The Rundown, Ben’s Bites and TLDR AI
Notable mainstream press coverage is mostly coming from The Financial Times, followed by The Times, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Forbes, Business Insider and The Washington Post.
For a refreshingly contrarian “all AI is snake oil” opinion, you need to check out the plucky PR Brit Ed Zitron, who is making a name for himself as AI hater-in-chief. See his conversation with Peter Kafka.
One thing I have come to realise is that no one really knows what is about to happen, including VCs, hedge funds and especially Elon Musk on Joe Rogan. There are no adults in the room. We are flying blind into this new intelligence storm.
We are at peak crescendo - we could all do with a 15-minute interval and time out at the bar.
Mark Riley, CEO Mathison AI
For a full list of AI courses, newsletters, podcasts and books, visit Mathison’s Recommended AI Resources PDF
AI and Media and Journalism
The Worst Thing About AI Is That People Can’t Shut Up About It WIRED - October 27, 2025 In a candid reflection, the author expresses their frustration with the relentless focus on AI, highlighting its hype as an overblown trend rather than a revolutionary breakthrough. While recognising AI's potential in journalism and other fields, they emphasise the irreplaceable value of human creativity and connection in storytelling and everyday life. |
Decoder Replay: Can journalists coexist with AI? A Brookings Institute report warns that the rise of AI and the dominance of search and advertising threaten journalism's survival, with local news outlets closing at an alarming rate. While AI could streamline tasks for journalists and create new opportunities, concerns about misinformation and the financial motivations of media corporations remain critical to the industry's future. |
UNC’s ‘Converge-Con’ covers all things AI, from rap battles to existential threats UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media - October 30, 2025 The UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media kicked off its inaugural "Year 1" Converge-Con, a dynamic three-day festival exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and human experience through workshops, panels, and engaging events like a human versus AI rap battle. Highlighting both the potential and challenges of AI, experts discussed its implications across various fields, emphasizing the need for a balanced understanding to navigate its impact on society. |
Paula Routly: Why I’m Betting on Human Journalists Over AI Seven Days - October 29, 2025 The Vermont Tech Jam brought together a diverse crowd in Burlington for its 18th annual job fair and tech expo, where discussions on the role of AI in journalism sparked anxiety among aspiring reporters. Highlighting the irreplaceable value of human curiosity in uncovering truths, the event underscored the importance of critical thinking amidst growing reliance on technology. |
New Survey: Americans Want AI Guardrails to Protect Local Journalism Nabshow - A recent survey at the NAB Show New York reveals that a significant majority of Americans are worried that AI and Big Tech are threatening local journalism, raising concerns about the quality and accessibility of news critical for informed communities. This highlights the urgent need for discussions on how to support local news organizations in an evolving media landscape dominated by technology. |
Survey: Americans want AI guardrails to protect local journalism Editor and Publisher - October 31, 2025 A recent survey at the NAB Show New York revealed that 75% of Americans are worried about AI's potential to replicate local news stories, with 77% supporting congressional action to protect journalism from unauthorised AI reproduction. This underscores a growing public concern for the future of local news in the face of Big Tech and artificial intelligence. |
Media literacy, not AI machines, will define journalism Euractiv - Generative artificial intelligence is transforming journalism by enhancing reporting and streamlining workflows, allowing journalists to focus on complex storytelling. However, this technological shift raises ethical concerns about accuracy, misinformation, and the potential erosion of human touch in reporting. |
How Non-Coding Journalists Can Build Web Scrapers With AI — Examples and Prompts Included Gijn - Discover how investigative journalists can harness data through web scraping to uncover insights and enhance credibility, even when faced with challenging dynamic websites. This guide offers practical steps for creating efficient scrapers, utilizing large language models, and automating workflows on cloud platforms like GitHub Actions. |
Journalist Karen Hao warns against the ‘empires of AI’ and their impact Journalist Karen Hao urged the WashU community to critically evaluate the societal and environmental impacts of artificial intelligence during her recent talk, highlighting concerns over AI's influence on jobs, ethics, and sustainability. With insights from her bestselling book, "Empire of AI," she emphasized the need for civic engagement and accountability in the tech industry, particularly regarding the practices of companies like OpenAI. |
ASU to host inaugural journalism and AI accelerator Asu - October 31, 2025 Arizona State University is hosting the inaugural National Journalism + AI Accelerator from January 6–8, 2026, bringing together over 100 leaders to explore AI's impact on journalism and develop ethical strategies for the future. This event, part of the Knight Center for the Future of News, emphasizes collaboration among journalists and industry leaders to ensure AI innovations empower local newsrooms and enhance trustworthy reporting. |
Software sprawl? That’s SaaD.
Software was supposed to make work easier. Instead, most teams are buried under it.
That’s SaaD – Software as a Disservice. Dozens of disconnected tools waste time, duplicate work, and inflate costs.
Rippling changes the story. By unifying HR, IT, and Finance on one platform, Rippling eliminates silos and manual busywork.
HR? One update applies to payroll, benefits, app access, and device provisioning instantly.
Finance? Close the books 7x faster with synced data.
IT? Manage hundreds of devices with a single click.
Companies like Cursor, Clay, and Sierra have already left outdated ways of working behind – gaining clarity, speed, and control.
Don’t get SaaD. Get Rippling.
AI and Academic Publishing
Arcadia Publishing: Your town’s local history books might be used to train A.I. Slate Magazine - November 3, 2025 Arcadia Publishing's recent outreach to authors, including Alex Brown, regarding the use of their works for AI training has sparked concerns over transparency and fair compensation, as many authors feel pressured by tight deadlines and low royalty rates. This trend reflects a broader industry shift, with various publishers entering AI licensing agreements that often prioritize financial gain over equitable author compensation. |
Springer Nature honours Indian editors at Journal Development Symposium 2025. Brings Together Leading Editors and Publishing Experts to Shape the Future of Research Integrity and AI in Scholarly Commu Prnewswire - October 31, 2025 The Journal Development Symposium 2025 in New Delhi brought together over 100 publishing professionals to explore the impact of AI and Open Access on research publishing, with keynote speaker Marieke Cambeen advocating for ethical practices. The event featured discussions on the One Nation One Subscription initiative, a Journals Award Ceremony, and highlighted Springer Nature's commitment to responsible science communication and innovation in the field. |
arXiv Mandates Peer Review for CS Papers Amid AI WebProNews - November 3, 2025 ArXiv has introduced stringent new rules requiring authors to provide proof of prior peer review for submissions, aiming to curb the influx of AI-generated content in computer science. While this move seeks to enhance submission quality, it has sparked debate over potential barriers to innovation for independent researchers and those from under-resourced institutions. |
arXiv Changes Rules After Getting Spammed With AI-Generated 'Research' Papers 404 Media - November 3, 2025 ArXiv has announced a ban on review articles and position papers in its computer science category due to an influx of low-quality submissions fueled by generative AI. This decision aims to enhance the quality of research published on the platform, allowing moderators to focus on more substantive contributions. |
STM launches educational resource centre The STM Association has introduced "Publishing Decoded," an educational resource designed to simplify the complexities of scholarly publishing for researchers, authors, and institutions. This initiative aims to empower stakeholders with clear insights into key topics like peer review and open access, enhancing their ability to navigate the publishing landscape effectively. |
arXiv Changes Rules After Getting Spammed With AI-Generated 'Research' Papers 404 Media - November 3, 2025 ArXiv has announced a ban on review articles and position papers in its computer science category due to an influx of low-quality submissions fueled by generative AI. This decision aims to enhance the quality of research published on the platform, allowing moderators to focus on more substantive contributions. |
AI Takes the Pen and the Red Pen: Machines Author and Peer-Review Scientific Research Financialcontent - October 30, 2025 The landscape of scientific research is rapidly evolving as AI takes on roles in authorship and peer review, exemplified by the "Agents4Science 2025" conference mandating AI as primary author and the successful peer-review of an AI-generated paper. While this shift promises to enhance research efficiency and democratize access to scientific output, it also raises critical ethical questions about accountability, integrity, and the future of academic publishing. |
This newsletter was partly curated and summarised by AI agents, who can make mistakes. Check all important information. For any issues or inaccuracies, please notify us here
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