AI and Automated Decision-Making in News and Media

Automated systems and processes are a common feature of the news and media environment. This report introduces four key examples: search, recommendation, automated content moderation and curation, and advertising technology (AdTech). We provide a basic explanation of how these systems work at the technical level and show how they operate in context, drawing on examples and case studies across news and media. We then map emerging challenges associated with the use of each technology across the news and media environment, drawing on peer-reviewed research from multiple disciplines. The findings and outcomes of current research in this area from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society are featured throughout. We end by identifying several critical areas where future work is needed to help ensure the safe and responsible deployment of automated systems across news and media.